Dodonaea viscosa

Dodonaea viscosa Jacq.

Synonym: Dodonaea ehrenbergii

Common Names: Hop Bush

Family: Sapindaceae

Habit: Dodonaea viscosa grows as a large shrub to small tree up to 6 m in height (usually shorter).  The leaves are arranged alternately, to 6 cm in length, obovate to oblanceolate, have an obtuse apex and entire margin.  The leaves are resinous making the leaves feel slightly sticky.

The incomplete, imperfect, actinomorphic, dioecious (occasionally monoecious) flowers are arranged in terminal panicles. The calyx has 3-5 unfused greenish sepals.  There is no corolla. Staminate flowers have up 8 stamens, no carpels but a nectiferous disk.  The carpellate flowers have 8 staminodes.  The ovary is superior with 3 – 4 locules each with a single ovule. The fruit is a winged capsule at maturity.

Habitat: Dodonaea viscosa grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations – Forest/Woodlands/Shrublands (coppice and scrublands).

Distribution: Dodonaea viscosa occurs throughout most of the island groups in the Lucayan Archipelago.  It is a pantropical and pan-subtropical species occurring throughout the world although primarily in the southern hemisphere.

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

In other locations it has been used to treat a variety of illnesses and the wood has been used for construction.

It has also been used in the horticultural industry.