Gutta-percha, leather leaf, mangle dulce Gutta-percha, leather leaf, mangle dulce

Tricerma phyllanthoides (Bentham) Lundell

Shrubs or trees 0.2–7 m. Stems erect to spreading, or decumbent to prostrate; branchlets erect or spreading, puberulent. Leaves: petiole 1–6 mm; blade oblong-elliptic to obovate, 1.5–5(–6) × 1–2.5(–3.5) cm, base cuneate or rounded, margins entire or remotely serrulate, sometimes wavy, apex obtuse to rounded, sometimes mucronate. Flowers: sepals reddish, rounded; petals 2–3 mm. Capsules bright red, 8–12 × 4–6 mm.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): sc, se United States, Mexico, West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba).

Recognition of two varieties follows G. L. Nesom (2009e).

Lower Taxa

• Celastraceae R. Brown
• Maytenus phyllanthoides var. ovalifolia Loesener
• Maytenus phyllanthoides var. phyllanthoides