Hippobroma longiflora (Star of Bethlehem)

Native to Jamaica, Hippobroma longiflora, commonly called Star of Bethlehem, is a small perennial herb of moist, shaded habitats. Its white, star-shaped flowers have five spreading lobes above a long, slender tube. The narrow leaves have sharply toothed edges, and the basal leaves form a rosette. Cultivated occasionally for its flowers, it has become naturalized in Colombia and other tropical regions, where it can persist as a garden weed. All parts are poisonous, and its white sap can irritate the mouth, throat and eyes. Photographed in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia.