Melochia tomentosa L.

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BOTANICAL
NFW YORK BOTANJÇAL GARDEN
' 02578640
The Flora and Ethnobotany of Long Island, Bahamas
Willard Sherman Turrell Herbarium (MU)
Species	Melochia tomentosa	Au: L.
Family	Sterculiaceae
Common Name Red Rope, Black Bark
Description	Shrub about 1.5 meters tall. Foliage is whitish green with stellate
tomentose hairs. Specimens in fruit and with purple flowers.
Location/Habitat Stella Maris found along Coral Gardens Road, near Alfred Knowles' condo
complex. Disturbed road, scrubby low dry evergreen forest/coppice.
Latitude	23°35’54”N	Longitude 75°16’ 24” W
Uses/Comments Most don’t have a use for this plant, however one person said they used it
with other plants to "keep the insides pure," producing a laxative effect.
Another reported using it with Strong Bark (Borrerria ovata) to "stop
children from wetting the bed."
Collector(s)	Laurel Richey
Collection No 98-311 Duplicates 5 Date December 12, 1998
Plants Dried Using a Kerosene Heater
Vouchers for Laurel Richey's PhD Dissertation
02578640