Argythamnia lucayana

Argythamnia lucayana Millsp.

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Habit: Argythamnia lucayana grows as erect or sprawling woody herb to 0.5 m in height (typically shorter).  The leaves are arranged alternately, ovate, to 3 cm in length with an acuminate to mucronate leaf apex, slightly serrate along the upper leaf margin with glands at the serration tips. The leaf surface has appressed trichomes.

The incomplete, imperfect, monoecious, actinomorphic, flowers are arranged in leaf axils.  Staminate flowers with 4 greenish sepals and petals are reduced to a single stamen.  Carpellate flowers  with 5 greenish sepals and petals and a single superior carpel, with 3 locules and numerous seeds.  The fruit is a capsule at maturity that splits along 3 suture lines.  The entire floral structure is hirsute.

Habitat: Argythamnia lucayana grows in sandy areas.

Distribution: Argythamnia lucayana is endemic, occurring throughout the entire Lucayan Archipelago.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Argythamnia lucayana is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.