Comprehensive Description

Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) is a widespread species of terrestrial mangrove along tropical and subtropical coasts of the Americas and West Africa. It grows as a shrub or small tree on on the coastal mainland and on islands of a variety of sizes, down to the smallest vegetated islands (it is sometimes the only species of terrestrial vascular plant on an island). There are both "silver" and "green" morphs (with some intermediates), having highly pubescent (downy) and nearly glabrous (smooth) leaves, respectively. (Schoener 1988; Nettel 2008)