Tabernaemontana alba
Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Tabernaemontana no. 2. 1768.
Shrubs or small trees, 1.5–3(–15) m. Leaves: petiole (5–)10–25 mm, glabrous; blade elliptic to obovate, (2–)7–23 × (1–)2.5–8 cm, membranous or subcoriaceous, base cuneate, margins revolute, apex acuminate or apiculate, surfaces glabrous. Peduncles (0.2–)1.5–7.5 cm, glabrous. Pedicels 4–10(–15) mm, glabrous. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate to broadly ovate, 1.5–3 mm, glabrous; corolla white, cream, or yellow, glabrous abaxially, eglandular-pubescent adaxially, tube 3–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm, throat 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, lobes spreading, obliquely elliptic to dolabriform, 7–14 × 3.5–6 mm. Follicles orange, yellow, or green, 2–4 × 1–2.5 cm. Seeds 10–50, 8–10 × 4–5 mm, aril orange or red.
Phenology: Flowering summer; fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat: Disturbed pinelands.
Elevation: 0–10 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America.
Discussion
Tabernaemontana alba was reported as being rare in disturbed pinelands in Miami-Dade County of southern Florida by R. P. Wunderlin (1998); however, no recently-collected specimens have been seen.
Selected References
None.