Illustrator:
Copyright:
Trees 3–10 m. Leaves: petiole 10–40 mm, glabrous; blade obovate or oblanceolate to obovate-oblong, 3.5–18 × 1–8.5 cm, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, base rounded, obtuse, or cuneate, apex rounded, emarginate or mucronate, surfaces glabrous. Peduncles 6–10 cm, glabrous. Pedicels 5–12 mm, glabrous. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to deltate, 1–1.5 mm, glabrous; corolla glabrous abaxially, eglandular-pubescent adaxially, tube 9–20 × 1–1.5 mm, lobes ascending-spreading, obliquely obovate-oblong or obovate, (15–)25–35(–45) × 10–15 mm. Follicles 6.5–24 × 1–2 cm. Seeds: body 10–15 × 7–10 mm, wing 8–13 mm. 2n = 36.
Phenology: Flowering summer–fall; fruiting fall–winter.
Habitat: Coastal hammocks, pinelands.
Elevation: 0 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., West Indies, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras).
Discussion
Plumeria obtusa is widely cultivated as an ornamental in southern Florida but has apparently only escaped from cultivation in disturbed coastal hammocks and surrounding pinelands on Big Pine Key in Monroe County.
An interesting case of deceitful pollination in Plumeria, in which hawkmoths are attracted to flowers that offer no nectar reward, was described by W. A. Haber (1984).
Selected References
None.