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Florida trema, guacimilla, Jamaican nettletree

Habit Shrubs to small trees, 2-5.5(-10) m.
Bark

dark brown, smooth when young, developing small, warty projections in maturity.

Branchlets

copiously pubescent.

Leaf

blade ovate to narrowly ovate, 5-6.5(-9) × 2.5-4(-4.5) cm, base oblique to cordate, margins evenly serrate, apex acute to long-acuminate;

abaxial surface softly, velvety white-pubescent;

venation conspicuous but scarcely raised.

Flowers

calyx greenish white.

Fruits

bright red-orange to yellow, 1.5-3.5 mm diam. 2n = 20 (from Costa Rica).

Trema micrantha

Phenology Flowering most of year (Mar–Nov).
Habitat Hammocks and prairies, often weedy along roadsides, in burned areas, and on calcareous ground
Elevation 0-100 m (0-300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies
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Discussion

Trema micrantha, as interpreted here, is widespread in tropical regions of the New World. Small-leaved populations may be confused with T. lamarckiana.

The soft wood of Trema micrantha is suitable for the construction of tea chests and match sticks.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ulmaceae > Trema
Sibling taxa
T. lamarckiana
Synonyms Rhamnus micranthus, Celtis micranthus, Sponia micrantha, T. floridana, T. melinona, T. micrantha var. floridana
Name authority (Linnaeus) Blume: Mus. Bot. 2: 58. (1856)
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