Cordia sebestena L., Sp. Pl. 190. 1753; C. speciosa Salisb.

Arboles pequeños o arbustos hasta 8 m de alto, ramitas glabrescentes; plantas hermafroditas. Hojas persistentes, ovadas, 9–20 cm de largo y 6–12 cm de ancho, ápice agudo, base redondeada a obtusa, escabrosas en la haz, casi glabras en el envés; pecíolos 1.5–3.8 cm de largo, pubescentes. Inflorescencias cimosas, subterminales, 6.5–12 cm de ancho; flores distilas, pedicelos 4–6 mm de largo; cáliz tubular-campanulado, 11–24 mm de largo, puberulento a glabro, generalmente 2-lobado pero a veces con hasta 5 lobos irregulares; corola infundibuliforme, 30–58 mm de largo, anaranjado brillante, 5–7-lobada, los lobos ovados a muy ampliamente ovados, 8–10 mm de largo; estambres 5–7, filamentos 22–33 mm de largo, glabros, anteras oblongas, 2.8–3.8 mm de largo; ovario cónico, 1.5–3 mm de largo, estilo 13–35 mm de largo, estigmas claviformes. Fruto drupáceo, blanco, completamente envuelto por el cáliz acrescente; hueso ovoide y 1.9–4 mm de largo.

Ocasional, en dunas costeras en la costa del Atlántico; fl y fr principalmente mar–jun; Grijalva 1732, Sandino 2518; México hasta el norte de Sudamérica, también en las Antillas. Especie muy atractiva, con flores anaranjado brillantes, frecuentemente cultivada en la zona pacífica. "Sebestán".

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Shrubs or trees, the younger stems pubescent. Leaves ovate, sometimes broadly so, acute, entire, the bases ? rounded, to 21 cm long and 15 cm wide, scabrous above, pubescent on the veins beneath; petioles ca 3-4 cm long. Inflorescences cymose, paniculate, loosely-flowered. Flowers perfect, pedicels ca 0.5-1.5 cm long, pubescent; calyx cylindrical, the tube ca 10-12 mm long at anthesis, 3(-4)- lobed, the lobes deltoid and ca 1-2 mm long, greatly enlarging in fruit; corolla funnelform, vermillion, the tube ca 20-25 mm long, 5-6-lobed, the lobes ca 10 mm long and 8-9 mm wide; stamens 5(-6), included, the filaments free from the corolla tube for ca 2-3 mm, ? glabrous at the point of attachment, the anthers ca 2.2-2.4 mm long; ovary ovoid, the style ca 20-25 mm long, the lobes clavate and flattened. Fruit drupaceous, ovoid, hard, ca 2-2.5 cm in diam, the calyx tightly adhering and becoming white and fleshy.

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Small shrub or tree up to 8 m tall. Branchlets minutely pubescent on nerves, hairy. Leaves ovate, 8-16 x 4.5-10 cm, entire, coriaceous, undersurface minutely pubescent on nerves. Flowers 2-5 cm long, in terminal cymes, orange-red. Calyx 12-15 mm long. Corolla crinkly, lobes crenulate. Fruit c. 2.4 cm long, ovoid, whitish.

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Shrubs or trees

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Cordia sebestena grows as a medium size tree to 10 m in height, usually shorter. The leaves are arranged alternately and covered with numerous short, very stiff hairs. The leaves are ovate, up to 25 cm long with an acute leaf apex and margin that is slightly dentate towards the apex. The complete, perfect, slightly zygomorphic flowers are arranged in corymbs or cymes. The calyx has 5 fused sepals forming a tube half the length of the corolla. The corolla has 5 fused orange petals. There are 5-7 stamens fused to the top of the corolla tube. The ovary is superior and has 2 locules. The fruit is a nut enclosed in a white fleshy swollen calyx.

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Cordia sebestena occurs in coastal Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Shrublands (coastal coppice) in sand or limestone substrates.

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Native to the West Indies and ranging from the Bahamas to northern Venezuela.

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Cordia sebestena occurs on all islands groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago, the Caribbean region, and New World tropical and subtropical regions. It now occurs in the Old World Tropics.

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Cordia sebestena is used in the Lucayan Archipelago for gastrointestinal issues (decrease indigestion and increase appetite). Cordia sebestena is used in the horticultural industry.

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