Hernandia nymphaeifolia

Hernandia nymphaeifolia or lantern tree (scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia) is a tropical evergreen tree native to the West Indies and belongs to the family Hernandiaceae. It grows to a height of 10 to 20 meters and is widely distributed along tropical coasts such as Okinawa and Ogasawara. In summer, there are three small white to light yellow flowers in a row. The one in the center is a female flower and the two on either side are male flowers. The three sets of flowers are clustered together to form a clustered inflorescence. The leaves are softly cortical, oblong-ovate, and pointed, with white veins clearly visible. The name comes from the long petiole, which resembles a lotus, and the light trunk, which resembles a paulownia.

Common name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, also known as lantern tree, Jack in the box, origin: West Indies, habitat distribution: Okinawa and Ogasawara in Japan, environment: coastal areas Leaves: heart-shaped (long oval with pointed tips), leaf texture: soft cortex, leaf color: green (front) with conspicuous white veins, light green (back), leaf length: 7-30 cm, leaf width: 6-20 cm, petiole: long, flowering season: July-September 0.5 cm; fruit: slightly flattened round; seeds: black ovoid.

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