LAMIACEAE formerly in VERBENACEAE
Under revision
Dioecious
Endemic
This plant has an upright structure with a one rooting point. The leaves are pilose.
Moldenke noticed the difference between Aegiphila "Downy form" and Aegiphila caymanensis from Hitchcock's january 1891 collected specimens from Grand Cayman.
Moldenke identified it to be a new species in 1930.
Although there are no annotation to the Type pressed specimen collected by Hitchcock in 1890 from Grand Cayman on his expedition to his Caribbean Islands for the Missouri Botanical Garden. These description relates to the Chicago Field Museum Type specimen #228141 seen here below.
I have seen in person the Type specimen and noted that two species were on the same sheet. The length of the male stamen (longer), leaf shape (Oblong / lanceolate and acute at the apex) with (pilose) hair on both sides of the leaves for Aegiphila caymanensis.
This Lower Valley single known male specimen has blooms with exserted (Longer) stamens. The calyx is 5 mm wide with a corolla of 5 to 8 mm in length with generally 4 petals.
This plant was found to have produced sporadic female and Aphrodite inflorescence; pistillode flowers (Female and male organs), producing fruits on some. Under microscope; I found the leaves to have many variable in size pellucid glands slightly more yellow sap when scratched with short tomentose to pubescent hair on both sides. Cluster of hair in the axil.
Their fruits are also different in shape as well as in size.
Bark on trunk
Chicago Field Museum Type #228141 for Aegiphila caymanensis
Aegiphila Downy Form is seen here on the upper left and Aegiphila caymanensis is on the lower right.
Flowering time; Several times a year
Distribution; GC, Lower Valley single male known specimen
Habitat; Shady woodland
Status; Critically endangered, Red listed It was bulldozed down August 2015 since this web page was put up. No other specimen are known.
Notes; Dioecious with one rooting point shrub; Male inflorescence with exserted stamens. The leaves are thicker with short tomentose to pubescent hair on both sides, pellucid glands variable in size.
