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Cartrema americanum (L.) G.L.Nesom
Wild Olive
American Devilwood
American Wild Olive
Synonym(s): Osmanthus americanus
Florida native
These trees are frequently found in swamps and hammocks from the central peninsula northward and throughout the panhandle. The range is primarily the southeastern coastal plain but also extending into the piedmonts from Texas into Virginia.
The fruit of Cartrema americanum is an oval to ellipsoid drupe 7-15mm in diameter with a stone that is somewhat pointed (acute) at both ends. The small white flowers are in panicles arising from the leaf axils. Each flower has four petals fused together into a short tube 3-5mm (1/8 to 3/16 in.) long with the tips of the petals flaring back over the tube. The opposite leaves are elliptic to obovate, simple and entire with somewhat revolute margins.
Cartrema americanum is a member of the Oleaceae - Olive family.
Other species of the Cartrema genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Cartrema floridana - SCRUB WILD OLIVE
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 11, 2023
