Amyris elemifera

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Amyris
Species:
A. elemifera
Binomial name
Amyris elemifera

Amyris elemifera is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae. Its common names include sea torchwood, smooth torchwood,[2] candlewood, sea amyris, tea, cuabilla, and bois chandelle.[3] It is native to Florida in the United States, the Caribbean, and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. It is also known from northern South America.[2] The species name elemifera is from the Greek, meaning "resin bearing".[4]

Description

Sea torchwood attains a maximum height of 4 to 12 metres (13 to 39 ft).[3] The smooth, gray bark matures into a rough and furrowed surface with plates. The wood is close-grained.[5] The species has a vertical branching habit. It has a weak taproot, but the lateral roots are stiff and strong. The yellow-gray twigs turn gray with age. The hanging foliage is fragrant. The compound leaves are opposite or sub-opposite. A 3 cm (1.2 in) petiole supports three to five oval or lance-shaped leaflets.[4]

Ecology

Sea torchwood tolerates full sun to light shade. In Florida, it often grows along the edges of hammocks.[5] It tolerates many soil types, including soil over rock and coastal sand.[3] It grows in well-drained sites,[5] but it tolerates 750 to 2,000 mm (29.53 to 78.74 in) of yearly precipitation in Puerto Rico.[3] Young plants linger in the understory until gaps allow further growth.[3]

Uses

This species has been used for fences, fuel, and honey production.[3] The fine-grained, fragrant wood is resistant to dry wood termites. It is too scarce for common use.[3] The plant has yielded taxaline, an oxazole with antibiotic activity against Mycobacterium.[3] The fragrant, globose drupe is black and contains a single brown seed. The tiny, fragrant white flowers and fruit attract wildlife such as birds.[4] In Florida, sea torchwood is a food source for the endangered Schaus' Swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus).[6][3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amyris elemifera.
  1. ↑ IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) (2020). "Amyris elemifera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T156771939A156771941. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T156771939A156771941.en. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 Amyris elemifera. NatureServe. 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Francis, J. K. "Amyris elemifera L." (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  4. 1 2 3 "Torchwood (Amyris elemifera)". School of Forest Resources and Conservation. University of Florida. Archived from the original on 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  5. 1 2 3 "Common torchwood (Amyris elemifera)". Natives for Your Neighborhood. Institute for Regional Conservation. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  6. ↑ "Schaus swallowtail butterfly". Conservation Management Institute. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Archived from the original on 2006-03-04. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
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