Thevetia

Schell tree ( Thevetia peruviana ) (orange variety)

The Thevetia are a plant genus of the family of the dogbane family ( Apocynaceae ). All species are native to tropical America.

Description

Thevetia are shrubs, small trees or rarely lianas. The plants contain latex. The leaves are spirally arranged, not glandular, sessile or stalked. Mostly to find glands between the petioles.

The zymösen inflorescences are terminal, a peduncle and pedicels are pronounced. The large, showy flowers are hermaphroditic. The cup is fünfgelappt deep on the inside are at the base of a wide range scales. The yellow crown is salverform, the corolla tube cylindrical with a sudden bell-shaped opening. In Kronschlund are five hairy scales. Kronlappen the upright more or less folded linksgewunden. The five stamens are not beyond the crown. The anthers are free from each other and are not adherent to the scar. The synkarpe ovary is upper constant and consists of two distinct carpels with two to four ovules. The nectary is ring-shaped and fleshy. The flower has a shedded a stylus from below and from above bilobed scar.

The fruit is drupe or berry-like and contains two to four seeds.

Dissemination

The six to seven species are native to the tropical parts of America.

Species

(Selection)

• Thevetia peruviana ( Yellow Schell Tree, Tropical Oleander )
• Thevetia thevetioides

Swell

• Henri Alain Liogier: Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and adjancent Islands, Spermatophyta, Volume IV: Melastomataceae to Lentibulariaceae. Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1995, ISBN 0-8477-2337-2.