Clusia croatii

Clusia croatii is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama, with one population in N Colombia. It is threatened by habitat loss.^[1]

Clusia croatii
Flowers of Clusia croatii
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Clusiaceae
Genus:	Clusia
Species:	C. croatii
Binomial name
Clusia croatii D'Arcy

Description

Clusia croatii is an epiphytic shrub that grows 3–10 m tall.^[2] It has milky sap which becomes orange when exposed to air. The leaves are opposite, and are 7–14 cm long and 3–7 cm wide. The leaves are elliptic, thick, and fleshy. The flowers are white to pink and red, with four to seven petals and four sepals. Clusia croatii has completely fused outer sepals which have to split open to expose the flower inside.^[3] The fruits are dark red, 1.5-3.5 cm large.

Clusia croatii blooms and fruits year round.

References

1. Mitré, M. (1998). "Clusia croatii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T32681A9717088. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32681A9717088.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. Gargiullo, Margaret B.; Magnuson, Barbara; Kimball, Larry (2008). A field guide to plants of Costa Rica. Oxford University Press. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-19-518824-0.
3. Woodson, Robert E. Jr.; Schery, Robert W.; D'Arcy, W. G. (1980). "Flora of Panama. Part VI. Family 123. Guttiferae". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 67 (4). Missouri Botanical Garden Press: 979–980.