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Plant Profile

Stingingbush (Malpighia infestissima)

  • Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Malpighiaceae
  • State: PR, VI
  • Nature Serve ID: 148568
  • Lifeform: Shrub, Tree
  • Date Inducted in National Collection:
Description:

clonal stinging hairs

Where is Stingingbush (Malpighia infestissima) located in the wild?

Habitat:

coastal thickets, and inland dry thickets

Distribution:

NA

States & Provinces:

Stingingbush can be found in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

Which CPC Partners conserve Stingingbush (Malpighia infestissima)?

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Nature Serve Biotics
  • 05/02/2017

Distribution limited to various islands in the British and U.S. Virgin Islands (probably extirpated in Saint Croix), Puerto Rico, and an unconfirmed report from Cuba. Apparently rare throughout its range.

  • 01/01/2010

cut down because of stinging hairs, not affected by Hugo

  • 01/01/2010

ca 10 plants total (clonal) in 10 populations ca 200 plants (stems) on St. Croix and St. Thomas in 4 populations - not all are protected more now than 20 years ago, endemic to St. Croix, not on St. Thomas

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Nomenclature
Taxon Malpighia infestissima
Authority L.C. Rich. ex Nied
Family Malpighiaceae
CPC Number 2789
ITIS 565292
USDA MAIN5
Duration Perennial
Common Names Cowhage-cherry | Stingingbush
Associated Scientific Names Malpighia infestissima | Malpighia pallens | Malpighia thompsonii | Malpighia urens var. infestissima
Distribution NA
State Rank
State State Rank
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Ecological Relationships

Photos

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