| Psychotria whistleri | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
 Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Psychotria |
| Species: | P. whistleri |
| Binomial name | |
| Psychotria whistleri Fosberg | |
Psychotria whistleri, the Rarotonga psychotria, is a herbaceous plant, a member of the Rubiaceae family.
Description
Small shrub that grows up to 2 meters tall, with black, brittle stems. The leaves are glossy green on both sides, oval-shaped, and grow in clusters at the tips of the branches. They are up to 9 cm long and 3 cm wide, tapering to a sharp tip and base, with smooth edges and 1 cm stalks. The flowers are white, about 15 mm across, with a 1 cm tubular base and five narrow petals up to 7 mm long. The fruits are oval, about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, and turn red when ripe.
Distribution
It is an endemic species to Cook Islands.
Taxonomy
It was named by Francis Fosberg, in Micronesica 23: 3 in 1990.
References
- ^ "Cook Islands Biodiversity : Psychotria whistleri - Rarotonga Psychotria". cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- "Polynesian Endemic Plants". www.terrestrial-biozones.net. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- "Psychotria whistleri Fosberg | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- "New and noteworthy Cook Island plants" (PDF). Micronesica.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Psychotria whistleri | |
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