Lasiocroton bahamensis

Lasiocroton bahamensis Pax & K. Hoffm.

Common Names: Wild Oak, Lightwood, Bitters

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Habit: Lasiocroton bahamensis grows as a shrub up to 7 m in height.  The coriaceous leaves are arranged alternately, ovate to orbicular, to 12 cm long and 9 cm wide. The leaves have a round leaf apex and an entire to repand margin and a cordate leaf base. The abaxial surface is pubescent.

Lasiocroton bahamensis is monoecious. The incomplete, imperfect, actinomorphic flowers arranged in pubescent spikes arising in leaf axils. In staminate flowers the calyx has 4 or 5 unfused, pubescent sepals and numerous stamens.  There is no corolla and the carpel is non-functional.  The pubescent carpellate flowers have an unfused 4 parted calyx, and no corolla or stamens. The ovary is superior and has 3 locules each with a single ovule.  The fruit is a triangular capsule.

Habitat: Lasiocroton bahamensis grows in open rocky Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Shrublands (coppice).

Distribution: Lasiocroton bahamensis occurs throughout the central island groupings of the Lucayan Archipelago, Cuba, and Haiti.

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