Guaiacum sanctum

Trees, 2.5–10 m; trunk sometimes to 1 m diam.; bark scaly; branches many, spreading, smooth; crown dense, rounded. Leaves opposite, (4–)6–10 cm, not folded at night; stipules usually deciduous, ovate, 3 mm, apex acuminate, usually mucronulate, hairy; petiole shorter than leaflets; leaflets (4–)6–8(–10), green, elliptic to obliquely oblong or obovate, 20–35 × 8–15 mm, apex rounded, subcoriaceous. Pedicels glabrous. Flowers appearing terminal, solitary to several in axils of upper leaves, 2–3 cm diam.; sepals 4–5, obovate, 5–7 mm, outer smaller; petals 4–5, blue, obovate, 7–11 × 5–7 mm, base clawed, apex rounded to lobed; stamens 8–10, ± as long as petals; filaments subulate to base slightly winged; ovary 4–5-lobed, 4–5-locular, obovoid, glabrous; style subulate. Capsules becoming greenish yellow to bright orange, obovoid, 14–20 × 12–14 mm, 4–5-lobed, 4–5-winged, apex pointed, smooth, glabrous. Seeds brown or black, ellipsoid, 10–11 mm.

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Guaiacum Sanctum

Guaiacum sanctum

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