Coccoloba diversifolia

Coccoloba diversifolia, known as pigeonplum or tietongue,[1] is a species of the genus Coccoloba native to coastal areas of the Caribbean, Central America (Belize, Guatemala), southern Mexico, southern Florida (coastal regions from Cape Canaveral to the Florida Keys) and the Bahamas.[2][3][1]

Coccoloba diversifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Coccoloba
Species:
C. diversifolia
Binomial name
Coccoloba diversifolia

Description

Pigeonplum is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 10 m (rarely to 18 m) tall. The bark is light gray, smooth, and thin but may become scaly on the largest trees. The leaves are 3–13 cm long and 1–7 cm broad, smooth edged, wavy, oval to oblong, rounded or pointed on the ends, leathery, brighter green above and paler below; leaves on young plants and root sprouts are larger than those on mature plants.

The numerous, inconspicuous flowers appear on spikes 1.5–18 cm long in the spring. The fruit is an achene 6–10 mm long surrounded by a dark purple edible fleshy perianth, ripening in the fall. The tree is unable to survive hard frost. It is resistant to high winds, salt and drought.[2][4][5]

References
  1. Florida Institute for Systematic Botany: Coccoloba diversifolia
  2. Flora of North America: Coccoloba diversifolia
  3. "Coccoloba diversifolia". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  4. Florida Institute for Systematic Botany: Coccoloba diversifolia images
  5. Bush, C. S.; Morton, J. F. (1969). Native Trees and Plants for Florida Landscaping. Florida Department of Agriculture. pp. 35–36.
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