Scolosanthus bahamensis

Scolosanthus bahamensis Britt.

Common Names: No known common name

Family: Rubiaceae

Habit: Scolosanthus bahamensis grows as a small shrub to 75 cm in height with angular branching.  Often with spines to 1 cm in length. The leaves are arranged oppositely or in fascicles with no or very reduced petioles, to 5 mm long, ovate with an obtuse leaf apex and a revolute margin causing the leaf to be cup shaped.  The vegetation covered with papillose pubescence.

The complete, perfect, flowers arise solitarily or in clusters from the leaf axils.  The calyx has 4 green fused sepals. The corolla has 4 fused, white/yellow petals that form a tube 4-5 times the length of the calyx.  There are 4 unfused stamens.  The ovary is inferior with 2 locules.  The fruit is a 1 or 2-seeded drupe/berry that is white/yellow at maturity

Habitat: Scolosanthus bahamensis grows in limestone substrate in open Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forests/Woodlands/Shrubland (coppice) and Pine Woodlands.

Distribution: Scolosanthus bahamensis occurs in the northern island groupings of Lucayan Archipelago, Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

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