Tabernaemontana alba Mill. (Apocynaceae)

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Espinoza, R., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Chavarría, F. and Masís, A. 1998. Tabernaemontana alba Species Page (Apocynaceae), 12 February 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

Evergreen shrub up to 1.2 m tall.

Flowers:

In general, the flowers are white. The calix is yellow-green and the corolla is white. The 5 petals are spirally arranged. The anthers are green, the pistil and the ovary are light green.

The flowers are perfect (both male and female structures present en the same flower). The inflorescence is a terminal raceme. The flowering begins in January.

Front	Lateral
Dissected flower

Fruit:

Leaves:

Leaves are simple and opposite, oblanceolate, margin undulate. Upper surface is dark green and under surface light green. The new leaves are also light green. Latex comes out when leaves or twigs are broken.

Upper surface	Node
Under surface	Close-up of under surface

About 6-20 cm in lenght. Petiole is cilindrical and 1-3 cm in lenght. Interpeciolar stipules.

Inflorescence and leaves

Bark and wood:

The bark is light brown in color and presents a fine reticulation.

The inner bark is cream in color and exudes white latex when cut.

Whole plant architecture:

Branched from the base.

Growth form

Similar species

Verification:

II.Geographic distribution:

Internacional:

In Costa Rica

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

Grows in altered areas in various degrees of regeneration.

Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural history:

IV. How to find:

Its common to find by walking the trails in Sector El Hacha near the station called Los Amendros.

Acknowledgments:

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Literature cited: