Andira inermis (Cabbagebark Tree)

Native to southern Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean, tropical South America, and western tropical Africa east to Uganda, this tree can reach about 100 feet tall. Its fragrant flowers are pink to purple. Fleshy, single-seeded fruits are carried by bats that feed on the pulp and disperse the seeds. The bark gives off an unpleasant cabbage-like odor when damaged, explaining the name Cabbagebark Tree. Its hard, durable wood is used for furniture, flooring, tool handles, and construction. The bark and seeds are poisonous. It may partially shed its leaves during the dry season. Photographed in Barranquilla, Colombia.