Habit: Cryptostegia grandiflora grows as a shrubby vine climbing over other vegetation and structures. The leaves are arranged oppositely, elliptic/oblong, and up to 12 cm in length. The leaf tip is acuminate and the margins are entire. Stems and leaves have a milky sap.
The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in cymes. The calyx has 5 unfused green, elongate sepals. The corolla has 5 purple/lavender petals that are fused at the base forming a tube up to 3 cm long. At the end of the tube there are 5 lobes forming a pinwheel with the bottom edges of the lobes overlapping to one side. There are 5 stamens and 5 staminodes that are fused to the inside of the corolla tube. The ovary is superior, forming follicles in pairs, each up 15 cm in length. The seeds are brownish and have tufts of hairs (pappus) that assist in aerial dispersal.
Habitat: Cryptostegia grandiflora grows in Human Altered environments (yards, abandoned fields, roadsides).
Distribution: Cryptostegia grandiflora is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but occurs on many of the island groupings. It is native to Madagascar.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Cryptostegia grandiflora is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.
It is used in the horticultural industry but escapes cultivation and is a NON-NATIVE INVASIVE!!!