Citharexylum caudatum
L.
Verbenaceae
Citharexylum album Mill.
Citharexylum berteroi Spreng.
Citharexylum erectum Sw.
Citharexylum lindenii Turcz.
Citharexylum mucronatum P.Fourn. & Moldenke
Common Name:
Tree with a heavy crop of fruit
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
General Information
Citharexylum caudatum is an evergreen shrub or a tree; it can grow 5 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 20cm in diameter[
,
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood, It is often grown as an ornamental, and is a popular street tree in some areas[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
854- Title
- Plants of Hawaii
- Publication
-
- Author
- Starr F.; Starr K.; Loope L.
- Website
- http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/
- Publisher
- United States Geological Survey--Biological Resources Division;
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Fairly detailed reports on 92 plants found growing in Hawaii, often giving plant uses. Produced in PDF format, they can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Peru, Colombia; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Windward Isles to Cuba.
Habitat
Upper mountain forests and dwarf forests of mountain peaks in Puerto Rico[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
]. Woods and thickets in Panama[
469- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1928
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sunny position[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. Grows best in relatively moist soils[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
Often grown as an ornamental, it is a prolific producer of seeds and these seeds can be widely dispersed by birds. This has led to the plant escaping from cultivation. It can form thickets, especially in wet habitats and lowland forests, where it displaces existing native vegetation. It has been declared to be invasive in Hawaii[
].
The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The light-brown wood is hard. It is used for fence posts[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
The wood is used for fuel[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
Propagation
Seed -
Cuttings
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
