Maytenus phyllanthoides var. phyllanthoides
Common names: Florida mayten
Selected by author to be illustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 127.
Revision as of 14:47, 18 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer
Illustrator:
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Shrubs or trees 1–7 m. Stems erect to spreading. Leaves: petiole 2–6 mm; blade obovate, 1.5–5(–6) × 1–2.5(–3.5) cm, base cuneate, margins entire, sometimes wavy, apex rounded.
Phenology: Flowering early spring–summer; fruiting summer–winter.
Habitat: Hammocks, dunes, edges of mangrove forests.
Elevation: 0–10 m.
Distribution
Fla., Mexico, West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba).
Discussion
In the flora area, var. phyllanthoides occurs along the Gulf coast of peninsular Florida from Levy County south and on the Atlantic coast in Miami-Dade County and the Keys. The leaves yield a gum that has been used as a substitute for gutta-percha, a rubberlike substance derived from Palaquium Blanco spp. (Sapotaceae) of southeast Asia and used in dentistry and historically for electrical insulation and golf balls.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.