Flora of North America species comparison

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Trema micrantha

Trema lamarckiana

Florida trema, guacimilla, Jamaican nettletree

Lamarck's trema, West Indian trema
Habit Shrubs to small trees, 2-5.5(-10) m.
Bark

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

gray-brown, smooth.
Branchlets

copiously pubescent.

glabrous to densely 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.

blade ovate, mostly 2-4(-6) × 2-2.5(-3) cm, base obtuse to nearly truncate, margins crenate, apex acute;

surfaces abaxially and adaxially harshly pubescent with conspicuous pustules;

venation prominent, raised abaxially, reticulate.
Flowers

calyx greenish white.

calyx pink to white.
Fruits

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

pink, 2-2.5 mm diam.
Small

trees or shrubs, to 3 m.

Trema micrantha

Trema lamarckiana
Phenology Flowering most of year (Mar–Nov). Flowering late winter–spring (Mar–Apr), sometimes summer–fall (Jul–Nov).
Habitat Hammocks and prairies, often weedy along roadsides, in burned areas, and on calcareous ground Disturbed areas along margins of woodlands and roadways
Elevation 0-100 m (0-300 ft) 0-25 m (0-100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; West Indies
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Trema lamarckiana is endemic to the Florida Keys and West Indies.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ulmaceae > Trema Ulmaceae > Trema
Sibling taxa
T. lamarckiana
T. micrantha
Synonyms Rhamnus micranthus, Celtis micranthus, Sponia micrantha, T. floridana, T. melinona, T. micrantha var. floridana Celtis lamarckiana
Name authority (Linnaeus) Blume: Mus. Bot. 2: 58. (1856) (Roemer & Schultes) Blume: Mus. Bot. 2: 58. (1856)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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