Schoepfia obovata

Schoepfia obovata C. Wright

Common Names: White Beef Wood

Family: Schopefiaceae

Habit: Schoepfia obovata grows as a large shrub to small tree up to 10 m in height (usually smaller).  The leaves are arranged alternately to 4 cm in length (usually smaller), obovate with a rounded leaf apex.  The leaf margin is entire

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic, heterostylous and subsessile flowers are arranged in groups of 1-4 arising in the axils of leaves. The calyx has 4 minute sepals.  The corolla has 4 or 5 white to yellow  to red fused, with lobes, petals.  There are 4 stamens fused to the corolla.  There is pubescence where the stamen is attached to the corolla. The ovary is inferior with 2-3 locules and ovules. The fruit is a yellow to red drupe at maturity.

Habitat: Schoepfia obovata grows in open Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Woodland/Shrublands (coppice and scrublands).

Distribution: Schoepfia obovata occurs in the central and northern islands groupings in the Lucayan Archipelago as well as the Greater Antilles and the Leeward Islands.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Schoepfia obovata is known to be used medicinally in strengthening teas.