Erythroxylum reticulatum

Erythroxylum reticulatum Northrop

Family: Erythroxylaceae

Habit Erythroxylum reticulatum grows as a shrub or small tree to 5 meters in height. The leaves are arranged alternately, are ovate to elliptical, to 5 cm in length (usually smaller), with a rounded leaf apex and entire margin. There are triangular stipules. The adaxial surface is a darker green than the pale abaxial surface.

The young stems have conspicuous lenticels.

The monoecious, incomplete, imperfect, actinomorphic flowers emerge in groups (1-4 flowers) from leaf axils. The calyx has 5 unfused green sepals.  The corolla has 5 whitish green unfused petals with nectaries at their base.  There are 10 stamens.  In the staminate flowers there is no functional ovary.  In carpellate flowers there are no functional stamens and the ovary is superior with 1 locule and becomes a red/purple/black drupe at maturity.

Habitat: Erythroxylum reticulatum grows primarily as an understory species in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation-Forests/Shrublands (coppice), Pine Woodlands, and near Fresh Water Wetlands.

Distribution: Erythroxylum reticulatum is endemic to the Lucayan Archipelago occurring in the central and northern island groupings.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Erythroxylum reticulatum has no known medicinal usage in the Bahamas.