Randia aculeata

Randia aculeata is six to 10 feet tall, evergreen, with spiny, leathery leaves that cluster near the tips of the branches. They are simple, two-inch leaves, no teeth, circular, veins are pinnate, read spreading out from a central vein. The leaves and stiff horizontal branching habit give the shrub a kind of geometric look. Small white tubular flowers are produced axillarily, that is where the leaf or branch stems meet the main stem. They are fragrant and occur all year. Spread by birds, the seeds of Randia aculeata sprout throughout its range of South Florida, and much of Tropical America. They ripen from green to white and are filled with a blue pulp.

Similar plants:

• Atractocarpus fitzalanii, Randia fitzalanii, Gardenia fitzalanii (Native Gardenia, Yellow Mangosteen)
• Catunaregam taylorii, Catunaregam spinosa, Randia vestita, Xeromphis obovata (Catunaregam)
• Euclinia longiflora, Randia macrantha (Angel's Trumpets, Tree Gardenia)
• Randia formosa, Mussaenda formosa, Randia mussaenda, Rosenbergiodendron formosum (Blackberry Jam Fruit, Jasmin de rosa)
• Randia maculata, Randia longiflora, Rothmannia longiflora (Terompet Gading)
• Randia siamensis, Oxyceros horridus (Fragrant randia)
• Randia sp. (Gardenia Star of Africa)
• Randia sp. Joseph Fondeur, Atractocarpus sp. (Randia)
• Rosenbergiodendron longiflorum, Randia ruiziana, Randia formosa var. longiflora, Gardenia longiflora (Angel of the Night)