Nashia inaguensis (Cultivated)

  • admin_jmgarg
  • Nashia
Nashia inaguensis Millsp. (Syn: Lippia inaguensis (Millsp.) Urb.);
.
Bahamas (Great Inagua), S. Puerto Rico to Virgin Islands: Bahamas, Leeward Is., Puerto Rico as per POWO;
.

Nashia inaguensis is an evergreen shrub, commonly referred to as Moujean tea, Bahamas berry, or pineapple verbena. It is native to the east Caribbean islands, in particular the island of Inagua in the Bahamas, after which the species is named. In its native environment, the plant crawls along sunny, rocky outcroppings, semi-protected from steady high winds.

It is a loose, spreading shrub with many branches up to 2 m high, with mature trunks of 5–10 cm diameter. The leaves are aromatic, simple, opposite (or fascicled), elliptic to obovate or spatulate, 5–10 mm long, with revolute margins. The flowerheads are axillary, sessile, few-flowered, with a strigose calyx; the corolla is whitish, about 2 mm long, four-lobed, and with four stamens. The fragrant foliage and tiny white flowers are highly attractive to pollinators, in particular the Atala butterfly.
It is often used as a bonsai plant due to its miniaturized features. The flowers form in clusters and are followed by reddish orange berries. It prefers full sun, warmth (a minimum temperature of 5 °C) and must be kept under high humidity. Even a brief spell of dryness can kill the plant. It can be propagated from cuttings, preferably in the spring and early summer during warm nights.
A decoction of the fragrant leaves, variously described as having the scent and flavor of citrus, vanilla, or pineapple, is used as an herbal tea.
(From Wikpedia on 25.7.16)
.
/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Carmona%20retusa.jpg/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Carmona%20retusa_MNP.jpg/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2254.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2250.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2243.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2252.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2245.JPG/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-IMG_2255.JPG
Requesting to please ID this plant from my balcony garden in December 2013.
It may be an exotic and was bought from a nursery in Lonavala, Maharashtra.
The name given to me was Cape(?) myrtle….
It has tiny white spots on the leaves and the leaves are very rough to touch.

A taxon from Boraginaceae

Carmona sp?

How about Ehretia microphylla (syn.Carmona retusa ), the plant used for bonsoi.

This may not be Ehretia microphylla, the one that is used in bonsai (I have that plant in my balcony garden). I am attaching 2 photographs of Ehretia microphylla (one from my garden and the other from an exhibition in Maharashtra Nature Park, Mumbai.
Besides, I think the flowers of Ehretia micrphylla have a flower stalk (the flowers of the above unidentified plant do not have a flower stalk) and there are bigger as well…

This may be a species of Carmona for sure

I don’t find any valid names under Carmona as per The Plant List & GRIN (all synonyms of Ehretia)
And there are only a few species of Ehretia, which can be easily checked.

Just to add that it is highly aromatic…

Ehretia microphylla (syn. Carmona retusa ), as suggested by me has been listed under ‘Philippine Medicinal & Aromatic Plants’ in Philippines. Check this link : herbolario.livejournal.com/3292.html

Thanks … for the link. The leaves however of the 2 plants are very different. I have both these plants…

Flowers are tubular and zygomorphic, no chances of Boraginaceae (Ehretia sp.), inflorescence is somewhat verticillate it should be a member of Verbenaceae.
Nashia inaguensis Millsp.
Commonly known as Moujean tea, Bahamas berry, or pineapple verbena native of Inagua, Bahmas.

 

.

References:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *