Tearshrub

Vallesia antillana Woodson, Ann. Mo. Bot
Gard. 24: 13. 1937.
Shrub, 2-4 m. tall, wholly glabrous; leaves firmly membranaceous to subcoriaceous, ovateelliptic to obovateelliptic, 2-8 cm. long, 1-3 cm. broad, acutely acuminate to acute, or rarely obtusish, obtuse to broadly cuneate at the base, the petioles 4-7 mm. long; inflorescence dichotomous, infrequently simple, much shorter than the subtending leaves, bearing several to numerous, small, white flowers; pedicels 4—5 mm. long; calyx-lobes ovatetriangular, acuminate, 0.7-1 mm. long; corolla salverform, the tube 6-7 mm. long, about 1.25 mm. in diameter at the base, somewhat inflated at the insertion of the stamens, the orifice somewhat constricted, the lobes oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 4.5-5 mm. long, narrowly ovoid-cylindric when convolute in the bud, slightly spreading at anthesis; drupes narrowly oblong-ovoid, opalescent, the seed about 1 cm. long, including the stony layer of the endocarp.
Type locality: Key West, Florida.
Distribution: Southern peninsular Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola.