''Poitea carinalis'' is a small deciduous tree of dry shrub and when in flower, usually February–April (occasionally up to June, depending on dry season rains), an individual Poitea (Sabinea) can be seen from a mile away as the entire tree turns brilliant red, the flowers have the typical pea form with a long keel. Scattered individuals occur throughout the dry shrub and are occasionally planted elsewhere and since it has been adopted as the national flower of
Dominica, people are now encouraged to plant it more widely. The flowers appear just before the new leaves unfurl and attract an abundance of insects,
hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...
and
bananaquits, but last for only a short time. Out of flower, it has 6-8 pairs of leaflets and a flattened pod. It is endemic to Dominica (one related species in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
and
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas Vírgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Cro ...
).
[Dominica, Nature Island of the Caribbean Illustrated Flora, Andrew J. Lack, Caroline Whitefoord, Peter G. H. Evans and Arlington James, illustrations by Helen Greenop. Published by Ministry of Tourism, Government Headquarters, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, 1997. .]
References
External links
Ntbg.orgSearchdominica.comEcflora.cavehill.uwi.eduFlickr.comTheplantlist.org
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15542654
Robinieae
Trees of Dominica
Endemic flora of Dominica