Family: Combretaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 147 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Conocarpus
Vegetable: False
Observations: S. Florida to Peru and Brazil, W. Trop. Africa to N. Angola
Description
The Button mangrove, known scientifically as Conocarpus erectus, is a resilient and unique plant species thriving primarily along coastal regions. It belongs to the Combretaceae family, which is distinguished by its diverse and vibrant group of flowering plants.
Originally chronicled by the eminent botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work “Species Plantarum” in 1753, the Button mangrove has since been recognized for its ecological significance and distinctive characteristics. This plant can be found spanning a broad geographic range, from the warm climates of South Florida extending through Central and South America, reaching as far as Peru and Brazil. Its presence is also notable in the tropical regions of West Africa, down to Northern Angola.
The Button mangrove’s adaptability to different coastal environments highlights its importance in these ecosystems. It is typically observed in brackish and saline conditions, thriving in intertidal zones that are inundated with varying salinity. This adaptability not only underscores its biological resilience but also its crucial role in stabilizing coastal soils and providing habitat for a myriad of marine and terrestrial life forms.
The structural form of Conocarpus erectus can vary significantly, ranging from a sprawling shrub to an erect tree, depending on the environmental conditions it encounters. Its foliage is dense, with leaves that are generally leathery and dark green, aiding in its ability to withstand the harsh sun and salt spray of coastal environments. Additionally, the Button mangrove produces small, inconspicuous flowers that group together in button-like clusters, a feature that likely contributed to its common name.
Beyond its ecological role, the Button mangrove also holds cultural and practical significance in various communities. It has been utilized in traditional medicine and local construction. Its wood is valued in some cultures for its durability and workability.
In summary, the Button mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) is a versatile and vital species within the Combretaceae family, playing an integral part in the coastal ecosystem from Florida to Brazil and across the tropical belt of West Africa to Northern Angola. This plant’s presence is a testament to the intricate linkages between plant species and their environments, underlining the importance of conserving such species that contribute immensely to biodiversity and ecological health.
Common Names
Eng: button mangrove, buttonwood, silver-leaved buttonwood, buttonwood shrub
Spa: mangle zaragoso
Por: amora-do-mar, mangue-de-botão, mangue-negro
Swe: knappved
Nld: grijze manguel
En: Button mangrove, Buttonwood, Caribbean mangrove, Silver-leaved Buttonwood, Buttonwood Shrub
Ar: دمس قائم
Nl: Grijze manguel
Fi: Mangrovekäpykerä
Fr: Chêne Guadeloupe
De: Knopfmangrove
Ht: Mango lanmè
Ml: കോനോകാർപ്പാസ് ഇറക്ക്റ്റസ്
Pt: Mangue-de-botão, Mangue-negro, Amora-do-mar
Ru: Конокарпус прямой
Es: Mangle botón, Botón, Botoncillo., Mangle zaragoso
Sv: Knappved
Synonyms
- Conocarpus erectus var. argenteus (Millsp.)
- Conocarpus erectus var. arboreus (DC.)
- Terminalia erecta ((L.) Baill.)
- Conocarpus sericeus ((Fors ex DC.) G.Don)
- Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus (Griseb.)
- Conocarpus erectus var. procumbens ((L.) DC.)
- Conocarpus procumbens (L.)
- Conocarpus pubescens (Schumach. & Thonn.)
- Conocarpus acutifolius (Willd. ex Schult.)
- Conocarpus supina (Crantz)
- Terminalia erecta var. procumbens ((L.) M.Gómez)
- Conocarpus erectus f. sericeus ((Fors ex DC.) Stace)
Distribution
- Angola (native)
- Aruba (native)
- Bahamas (native)
- Belize (native)
- Benin (native)
- Bermuda (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Cabinda (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cayman Is. (native)
- Central American Pac (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Congo (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Florida (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Galápagos (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Mexican Pacific Is. (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Netherlands Antilles (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Peru (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Southwest Caribbean (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Texas (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Phoenix Is. (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flower
Taken Nov 3, 2019 by Venegas-Elizondo Carlos (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 6, 2020 by Franco Colnago (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 4, 2022 by Ggg Vjmk (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2009 by Renato Lima (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 27, 2021 by Joan Simon (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Aug 27, 2021 by Joan Simon (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 10, 2022 by Julien DEMENOIS (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 5, 2021 by lepard stephenson steele (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 20, 2019 by Ro Panichev (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 10, 2022 by Julien DEMENOIS (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Nov 13, 2020 by Arun Correya (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 11, 2022 by ali alabbasy (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 27, 2022 by Vero.vezin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 26, 2020 by William Gustave (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 11, 2019 by Araya Rafael H (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Apr 6, 2010 by EOL − Bruce Holst/Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 15, 2021 by Marzanna Bug (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 18, 2021 by Sébastien TRASBOT (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 10, 2001 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 12, 2020 by Joe (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Nov 19, 2021 by John Touma (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 5, 2020 by claire Felloni (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 11, 2012 by Thomas Delhotal (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5421045)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:319151-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Conocarpus erectus L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Tree, Shrub