Tabernaemontana amsonia Linnaeus

Stems erect, (38–)48–100 cm. Leaves: petiole (2–)4–7(–9) mm, sparsely to moderately pubes­cent, or glabrous; stem leaf blades lanceolate to ovate, narrowly elliptic, or elliptic, (5.3–)8–12(–14) cm × (17–)24–50(–65) mm, margins subentire, often slightly irregular, seldom revolute, almost always short-ciliate or minutely scabrous, apex acuminate (acute, rounded-acute), sur­faces sparsely pubescent mostly on midrib and veins abaxially (glabrous or also sparsely scabrous to short-pubescent adaxially). Flowers: sepals deltate (narrowly deltate), 0.5–0.9(–1.1) mm, glabrous (rarely bearing single long hairs); corolla tube (5–)6–7.5 mm, lobes (5.5–)6.4–8.4(–9.5) mm. Follicles erect, (5–)7–12 cm × 2.6–3.6 mm. Seeds (5–)5.5–9.5 × (1.3–)1.6–2.3 mm. 2n = 22.

Flowering spring; fruiting summer. Moist woods, stream and lake banks, hillsides, ditches, fields; 0–400 m; Ala., Ark., Ga., Ill., Ky., La., Mo., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Variety tabernaemontana may also occur in Indiana; the only specimens seen of the species from that state were better identified as var. salicifolia.