Drypetes alba alba Poit., Mem . Mus. Hist. Nat. 1: 157, t. 7. 1815;

Levin, Geoffrey A., 2013, A synopsis of the New World species of Drypetes section Drypetes (Putranjivaceae) with asymmetrical fruits, including description of a new species, PhytoKeys 29, pp. 75-87 : 77-78

1a. Drypetes alba alba Poit., Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. 1: 157, t. 7. 1815;

Liparena alba (Poit.) Poit. ex Baill., Étude Euphorb. 608. 1858. Type: Based on Drypetes alba Poit.

Drypetes sessiliflora Baill., Étude Euphorb., Atlas: 45. 1858, nom. illeg. Type: Based on Drypetes alba Poit.

Drypetes alba var. genuina Müll. Arg. in DC., Prodr. 455. 1866, nom. inval. Type: Based on Drypetes alba Poit.

Guatteria berteriana Spreng., Syst. Veg. (ed. 16) 2: 635. 1825. Type: Puerto Rico, s.d., C. G. L. Bertero s.n. (holotype: B†, isotype: TO n.v.).

Guatteria prinoides Spreng., Syst. Veg. (ed. 16) 2: 635. 1825. Type: Haiti, s.d., C. G. L. Bertero s.n. (holotype: B†, isotypes: MO, TO n.v.).

Drypetes alba var. brevipes Müll. Arg. in DC., Prodr. 455. 1866. Type: Puerto Rico, s.d., collector unidentified (holotype: G-DC).

Type.

[Haiti.] Île de Tortue, s.d., A. Poiteau s.n. (holotype: P; isotype: G-DC).

Distribution.

Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ecology.

Forests from sea level to 1000 m, primarily on calcareous soils, but in Puerto Rico also on serpentine-derived soils.

Phenology.

Flowering primarily January to April, rarely as early as November. Fruiting February to August.

Conservation status.

Least concern. Drypetes alba var. alba is widespread and likely secure in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. It may be vulnerable or endangered in Haiti due to extensive deforestation there; I have seen no specimens from Haiti collected later than 1929.

Selected specimens examined.

HAITI. Southeast of St. Louis du Nord, 3 Apr 1928 (♂ fl), Leonard & Leonard 14268 (CM, K, UC, US).

Dominican Republic. Loma Mala, near arroyo Guayabal, Maimón, 300-500 m, 16 Feb 1974 (fr), Liogier 21293 (F, K, MO).

Puerto Rico. Maricao Afuera, along Maricao River upstream from the fish hatchery, 18°10'11"N, 66°59'10"W, 460-580 m, 11 Jan 1996 (♀ fl), Acevedo-Rodríguez et al. 7724 (K, US).

United States Virgin Islands. Saint Croix: Salt River bluffs, 6 Jul 1896 (♂ fl), Ricksecker 462 (P). Saint John: Coral Bay Quarter, Bordeaux Mtn., east side, 11 Jan 1992 (bud), Acevedo-Rodríguez & Siaca 4710 (MO, US). Saint Thomas: s.d. (fr), Riedlé s.n. (F, P).