Carol Thomas from the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory sent photos of her simpsons’ stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans var. simpsoni) …
This plant flowers gloriously in full sun, has bright red-orange fruits, and attracts attention. Carol advertises her use of comely native plants in her landscape, since she gets so many queries about her gorgeous yard from neighbors and passerby …
Once upon a time, this plant was called Eugenia dicrana, and the local chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society was named after this plant. At that time the national champion simpsons’ stopper was located on the property that is now home to the Indian River Mall.
Its orange-red fruits are striking, shown below in a close-up taken in the landscape at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory …
Note the pellucid dots on the leaf at the right side of the photo. When you crush the leaves, these dots that house secretory cavities release a distinctive fragrance.
Inside the succulent fruits are soft, green seeds, which if cleaned and sown immediately spout easily.
At the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area, simpsons stoppers grow in hammock shade , where over many years, they have have grown into small trees with exfoliating bark that give rise to the common name, nakedwood stopper …
Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area 