Bougainvillea sp.

Bougainvillea sp.

Common Names: Bougainvillea

Family: Nyctaginaceae

There are 3 species of Bougainvillea: B. peruviana, B. glabra, and B. spectabilis. They differ in the width and levels of pubescence of the perianth tube.

Habit: Bougainvillea grows as a climbing, spiny shrub/liana. The leaves are arranged alternately, cordate to deltoid, to 10 cm in length, with an entire leaf margin, and an acute/acuminate leaf apex.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are in clusters in leaf axils and subtended by pink, red, orange, or white, very showy, bracts.  The calyx has 5 fused green sepals. The corolla has 5 fused, white petals forming an elongate tube.  There are 8, fused at their base, stamens.  The ovary is superior with 1 locule and ovule.

Habitat: Bougainvillea grows in Human Altered environments (yards and gardens).

Distribution: in Bahamas/Globally: Bougainvillea occurs is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago.  It is native to South America but now occurs throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Bougainvillea is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.

Bougainvillea is grown as an ornamental due to the showy floral bracts.