Cordia dodecandra

Native from central Mexico through Belize to Guatemala and also Cuba, this plant is a deciduous tree reaching about one hundred feet tall. It has a short, straight trunk and a dense, rounded or pyramidal crown. The alternate leaves are oval to nearly round and have a very rough upper surface. Branched clusters bear deep orange, funnel-shaped flowers with numerous lobes and stamens. The fleshy fruits ripen yellow-orange and contain one or two seeds within a hard inner stone. Their fragrant, bittersweet pulp is eaten locally and made into preserves and sweets. The figured, dark brown wood is used for furniture and cabinetwork, while the abrasive leaves can serve as sandpaper. The tree occurs in tropical forest and thickets, including rocky limestone terrain in Yucatán. Photographed in Florida.