Bahama maidenbush Bahama maidenbush

Savia bahamensis Britton, Torreya 4: 104. 1904

Shrubs or trees, (5–)20–40(–80) dm. Leaves: petiole 2–5(–8) mm; blade usually obovate or elliptic, sometimes oblong, (1–)2–4.5(–8) × (0.7–)1.2–2.5(–4.5) cm, base acute, obtuse, or rounded, apex acute, obtuse, rounded, truncate, or retuse, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes with scattered hairs. Inflorescences: staminate flowers (6–)10–25 per glome. Pedicels: pistillate 1–6 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals ovate or oblong, 1.5–2 mm, hairy abaxially, sometimes ciliate; petals spatulate to obdeltate, 1–1.5 mm, margins erose to lacerate, apex truncate; stamens 2–4 mm. Pistillate flowers: sepals orbiculate, ovate, or deltate, 1–2 mm, hairy abaxially, sometimes ciliate; petals spatulate to orbiculate or oblong, 1–2 mm, entire to slightly erose, sometimes ciliate. Capsules 6–7(–9) mm diam. Seeds brown to reddish, 3–5.5 mm.

Flowering and fruiting year-round. Hammocks, limestone; 0–10 m; Fla.; West Indies (Greater Antilles).

Heterosavia bahamensis is restricted in the flora area to the lower Florida Keys, where it may be locally abundant, forming monospecific thickets.