Centris nitida, a furry yellow and black bee that is widely distributed in its native Central and South America and is now naturalized in southeastern Florida and in Sarasota on the Gulf Coast, has been observed visiting Calyptranthes pallens flowers, possibly collecting both nectar and pollen (Pemberton and Liu 2008).
Pale lidflower or spicewood (Calyptranthes pallens) is a large shrub (or small tree) native to extreme southern Florida, the Florida Keys, the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America. The entire tree is aromatic, especially the leaves, giving it the common name "spicewood". The leathery dark green leaves are about 5-8 cm long and 2 cm wide. The small geenish white flowers have no petals and are borne in clusters (panicles) 5-8 cm long. In bud, the sepals are capped by a lid-like cover, which is later shed, exposing the numerous and relatively long stamens (hence the common name "lidflower"). The reddish brown oblong fruits are berrylike and edible. (Brockman 1968; Little et al. 1974; Petrides 1988; Riffle 1998)
Calyptranthes pallens is listed as threatened by the State of Florida (Gann et al. 2008).
The native range of Calyptranthes pallens extends from South Florida through the Bahamas and West Indies, Mexico, and Central America (Gann et al. 2008; Roger Hammer in litt. April 2010). Little et al. (1974) write that although this species occurs only locally (i.e., at scattered locations) in Puerto Rico and was apparently not found on the island until 1950, it nevertheless can be found from sea level to 2500 feet altitude in the mountains.
In a study of ecological succession in dry broadleaved forests (tropical hardwood hammocks) in the Florida Keys, Ross et al. (1998) found that Calyptranthes pallens was strongly associated with the later stages of stand development, with relatively narrow tolerance, and therefore appears to be an excellent indicator of advanced stand age.
In South Florida and the Florida Keys, Calyptranthes pallens is a somewhat uncommon mid-story tree in rockland hammocks, typically associated with slightly wetter areas (Gann et al. 2008). Nelson (1994) also notes that although this species is not common, it can be readily found in hammocks of South Florida and the Keys.
Calyptranthes pallens is a shrub or small tree, typically 4-6 m in height (to 12 m in South Florida), usually taller than broad. It bears greenish white flowers that are present from spring to summer or fall. The fruit is a dark red berry (Gann et al. 2008). New branchlets are produced in pairs at each leaf node, resulting in just two oppositely arranged leaves per twig, both of them borne at the end of the supporting branchlet (Nelson 1994). With respect to Florida, Nelson (1994) notes that this forking arrangement distinguishes C. pallens and its congener C. zuzygium from all other native opposite-leaved trees or shrubs in the state.
According to Little et al. (1974), the aromatic leaves of Calyptranthes pallens are used for tea in folk medicine, though apparently not in Puerto Rico.
