Gymnanthes lucida - crabwood, oysterwood | Fairchild Botanic Garden

***Gymnanthes* *lucida***

Common name: crabwood, oysterwood (English)

Family: Euphorbiaceae (Spurge)

Distribution: Eastern South Florida, the West Indies, Mexico and Central America

Description: Gymnanthes lucida, crabwood. Take a crabwood leaf and feel the leaf base for a sharp edge, just above the petiole-- this is one way to distinguish it from other similar native hammock trees. Additionally, leaves often become speckled with white lichen. Like many members of the euphorb family, crabwoods have separate male and female flowers that are clustered together. Tiny male flowers form a catkin that elongates over time while 1-3 female flowers will sometimes (but not always) emerge near the base of the catkin. Crabwood is the larval host plant for the Florida purplewing butterfly (Eunica tatila). This beautiful native small tree should be used in hedges all over South Florida! Plant in light shade or full sun.

1: Plot 199 (199) • Accession: 961467*A
2: Plot 199 (199) • Accession: 961467*B
3: Plot 199 (199) • Accession: 97325*A
4: Plot 199 (199) • Accession: 97325*B
5: Plot 204 (204) • Accession: 6111*A
6: Plot 204 (204) • Accession: 85265*A
7: Plot 204 (204) • Accession: 85265*B
8: Plot 3b (3B) • Accession: 2012-2131*A
9: Plot 62 (62) • Accession: 2014-0698*A

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Taxon

***Gymnanthes* *lucida***

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