Puerto Rico Raintree

Puerto Rico Raintree (Eng.), (no Spanish common name), Brunfelsia portoricensis (Sci.) 
Endemic plant, Luquillo mountains, Puerto Rico

General Information:

Group- Asterids, Order- Solanales, Family- Solanaceae, Genus- Brunfelsia, Species-  B. portoricensis. Rare, endemic flowering shrub/small tree – Luquillo Forest.

Description:

Brunfelsia portoricesis is an evergreen shrub or small tree from 3 to 10 feet (0.9 to 3 meters) high – rarely growing to 15 feet (4.5 meters), with a typical trunk diameter of 3 inches (7.6 centimeters). It can be easily recognized by its elliptical, thick and leathery leaves, 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15 centimeters) long, shiny-green on top and dull light-green on the bottom. Flowers are large, white, 4 inches (10 centimeters) in diameter, with five rounded petals approximately 2 ½ inches (6.3 centimeters) across, and yellow-rounded fruit 1 to 1 ¼ inch (2.5 to 3 centimeters) in diameter.

Habitat:

The Puerto Rico Raintree is known solely from the Luquillo Mountains of eastern Puerto Rico where it rarely occurs in the lower El Yunque National Forest at elevations from 1,500 to 1,800 feet (450 to 540 meters).

Threats:

Threatened by habitat loss, this species is listed as Threatened on the IUCN “Red List” of endangered species.

Information compiled by Alan Mowbray, USDA Forest Service, El Yunque National Forest – 2010.