Posoqueria latifolia, also known as Needle Flower Tree,Government of Singapore. (n.d.). Posoqueria latifolia. NParks Flora & Fauna Web. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/7/2/7245 is a species of shrub or tree in the family Rubiaceae native to the region spanning from Mexico to tropical South America. Its most remarkable feature is the floral tube of the white flower, which is only 2 or 3 mm wide, but up to long. It is pollinated by a sphinx moth.
Description Vegetative characteristics Posoqueria latifolia is a 3–25 m tall shrub or treeGomes, M. & Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. (n.d.). Posoqueria latifolia (Rudge) Schult. Flora E Funga Do Brasil. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/FB14150 with smooth, gray bark and numerous branches.
Generative characteristics The terminal inflorescence bears pedicellate, tubular, elongate, sphingophilous,Posoqueria latifolia. (2022, April 25). Osa Arboretum. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://osa-arboretum.org/plant/posoqueria-latifolia/ nectariferous, fragrant,Criley, R. A. (2021, February). Expanding Tree Diversity in Hawai‘i’s Landscapes: Needle Flower, Posoqueria latifolia. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). conspicuous, white flowers.Harmon, P. (2024, July 11). Posoqueria latifolia. Trees of Costa Rica’s Pacific Slope. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://crtrees.org/species-accounts/posoqueria-latifolia/ The flower has five petals. The yellow fruit bears numerous seeds.
Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 32, 34, or 36.Kiehn, M., & Berger, A. (2020). Neotropical Rubiaceae: Synthesis of chromosome data from Costa Rican taxa, with insights on the systematics of the family. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 105(4), 423–458. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27098317
Taxonomy It was first described as Solena latifolia by Edward Rudge in 1805.Rudge, Edward. (1805). Plantarum Guianae rariorum icones et descriptiones hactenus ineditae (Vol. 1, p. 26). Sumptibus auctoris. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57849789Solena latifolia Rudge. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/315601-2 It was transferred to the genus Posoqueria as Posoqueria latifolia by Josef August Schultes in 1819.Posoqueria latifolia (Rudge) Schult. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/1079607-2Linné, Carl von, Römer, J. J., Schultes, Joseph August, Schultes, Julius Hermann, Sprengel, Kurt Polycarp Joachim, & Cotta, J. G. (1817). Caroli a Linné ... Systema vegetabilium :secundum classes, ordines, genera, species. Cum characteribus, differentiis et synonymiis (Vol. 5, p. 227). Sumtibus J.G. Cottae. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/714939 Sometimes Josef August Schultes and Johann Jacob Roemer are credited with the transfer.Posoqueria latifolia (Rudge) Roem. & Schult. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/1079607-2Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-b). Posoqueria latifolia (Rudge) Roem. & Schult. Tropicos. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/27903354
Etymology The specific epithet latifolia means broad-leaved.Azuceno de monte (Posoqueria latifolia). (n.d.-b). Catálogo Virtual De Flora Del Valle De Aburrá. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://catalogofloravalleaburra.eia.edu.co/species/211Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Oxalis latifolia. https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=132820, retrieved 17 September 2025
Subspecies It has two subspecies: Posoqueria latifolia subsp. gracilis Posoqueria latifolia subsp. latifolia
Distribution and habitat It occurs in lowland tropical rainforest and in cloud forests of Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Ecology The flowers are moth-pollinated. The fruit is eaten by mammals. The seeds are dispersed by animals, such as monkeys.Posoqueria latifolia. (n.d.-b). Programa Arboretum. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.programaarboretum.eco.br/especie/177/baga-de-macaco
Conservation The IUCN conservation status is Least Concern (LC).
Use The sweet or poorly flavoured, yellow fruit is edible. It is used as an ornamental plant.
Common names It has many common names: Needle Flower Tree, Tree Jasmine,Posoqueria latifolia. (n.d.). Denver Botanic Gardens. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from http://navigate.botanicgardens.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_DispPl?NAMENUM=23701 Guayaba de Mono, Boca de vieja., Azuceno de monte, and baga-de-macaco.
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