autograph tree
Clusia rosea
Its thick, leathery leaves can be etched with a sharp object, leaving permanent, legible markings that remain for the life of the leaf.
- Scientific name
- Clusia rosea
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Malpighiales › Clusiaceae › Clusia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical forests, coastal cliffs, and rocky slopes
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic, utilizing CAM photosynthesis)
- Range
- Caribbean, Southern Florida, Central America, Northern South America
- Size
- Height of 10 to 20 meters (30 to 65 feet) with a wide, spreading canopy
- Lifespan
- 50 to 100 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation in its native range; conversely, it acts as an invasive threat in non-native ecosystems.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but the milky sap and green fruits are toxic. Avoid ingesting any part of the plant and wash skin immediately with soap and water if sap contact occurs to prevent irritation.
Clusia rosea , the autograph tree , copey , cupey , balsam apple , pitch-apple , and Scotch attorney , is a tropical and sub-tropical plant species in the genus Clusia . The name Clusia major is sometimes misapplied to this species.
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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