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Cordia sebestena
And this why Bonaire has iridescent geiger tortoise beetles (https://www.jungledragon.com/image/57886...). It is because their food tree, the geiger tree or scarlet accordia, is also very common in Bonaire. Cordia sebestena grows to a maximum height of 25-30 feet at maturity, with a nearly equal spread. The dense, evergreen foliage consists of dark green, leathery, alternate, ovate leaves, seven inches long, with wavy margins. Flowers are produced in clusters throughout the year. They are dark orange in color, tubular. Pear-shaped fruits follow the flowers, averaging two inches in length. Fruits are fragrant and edible, but not flavorful. It is not particularly susceptible to pests and diseases, other than the geiger tortoise beetle, which can cause occasional defoliation.
Seen all over the place in Bonaire. Cordia sebestena is widely planted throughout the tropics as an ornamental plant in gardens for its showy flowers. Cordia sebestena is a shrubby tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, native to the American tropics. It ranges from southern Florida in the United States and the Bahamas, southwards throughout Central America and the Greater Antilles.
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