Spiny fiddlewood | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Verbenaceae |
Genus: | Citharexylum |
Species: | C. spinosum |
Binomial name | |
Citharexylum spinosum L. |
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Synonyms | |
Citharexylum fruticosum L. |
Citharexylum fruticosum L.
Citharexylum quadrangulare Jacq.
Citharexylum spinosum is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to southern Florida in the United States, the Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. Common names include Florida fiddlewood and Spiny fiddlewood.
It is a tree that reaches a height of up to 15 m (49 ft). The ovate to elliptic leaves are 4–20 cm (1.6–7.9 in) long and have orange petioles. Small white flowers are produced throughout the year on hanging axillary and terminal racemes and panicles 20–40 cm (7.9–15.7 in) in length. The fruit are red to black subglobose drupes 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) in diameter.