Matelea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. It contains about 200 species, which are commonly known as milkvines. Some people consider Chthamalia to be a synonym to or a subgenus of Matelea.
Xylosma pachyphylla, commonly known as spiny logwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Salicaceae, that is endemic to Puerto Rico. It can be found in forests on the island's western mountains, where it grows in serpentine soils. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Quararibea turbinata, also known as the swizzlestick tree, is an aromatic plant native to such Caribbean locales as Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Virgin Islands. It is generally described as a perennial tree or shrub and its common name comes from its use as a swizzle stick and its association with cocktails such as the Rum Swizzle.
Oplonia spinosa, the pricklybush, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae, endemic to several Caribbean islands. It is a spiny shrub ranging in height from dwarf to 3 meters, with curved spines 4–12 mm long, and leaves variable in size and shape.
Zephyranthes puertoricensis, known commonly as the Puerto Rico zephyr lily, is a species of flowering plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. It is native to the West Indies, Panama, Colombia, Suriname and Venezuela. It is a member of low elevation grasslands communities and moist forest habitat.
Ilex urbaniana, known commonly as the Urban's holly, is a species of tree or shrub in the Aquifoliaceae or holly family of flowering plants. It is found on Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Dendropanax laurifolius is a tree in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, and is found in moist regions of forests at middle or high elevations.
Ruehssia elliptica, synonym Marsdenia elliptica, the jungle netvine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is endemic to forests in Puerto Rico.
Randia portoricensis, known commonly as the Puerto Rico indigoberry, is a species of shrub in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, and is found in thickets and semi-dry forests.
Myrcia margarettae is a species of shrub in the family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico. It reaches a height of 4–5 metres.
Matelea sintenisii, known commonly as the Sintenis' milkvine, is a species of plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, and is found in forests and moist districts.
Mansoa alliacea, or garlic vine, is a species of tropical liana in the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to Northern South America, and has spread to Central America and Brazil. Among the mestizos of the Amazon rainforest it is known as ajo sacha, a Spanish-Quechua name that means "forest garlic" or "wild garlic".
Henri Alain Liogier, also known as Brother Alain was a French botanist, educator, and member of the clergy based out of Texas, United States. Liogier is responsible for over 100 scientific journal articles and over 30 books devoted to the study of botany. He published the quintessential work on the flora of Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, and these works are the foundation of botanical science for the Caribbean. During his life's work, he discovered over 300 species of plants all of which can be found at the New York Botanical Garden where he also served as a research associate. He was a founding member of the Academy of Science and first scientific director of the National Botanical Garden in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Liogier was recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for Studies in Plant Science. He was also the director of the Botanic Garden at the University of Puerto Rico.
Spermacoce brachysepala, the West Indian false buttonweed, is a plant species in the Rubiaceae. It is native to Puerto Rico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Iresine angustifolia is a plant in the genus Iresine of the family Amaranthaceae.
Diplazium hymenodes, sometimes called the peacock fern, is a twinsorus fern in the wood fern family of polypod ferns. It is native to Puerto Rico, but also occurs in Jamaica and Cuba. It prefers a moist growing environment at low to low-middle elevations.
Xanthosoma caracu is a species of edible plant described by Karl Koch and Carl David Bouché. It is native to South America and cultivated in Puerto Rico.
Consolea moniliformis is a species of cactus that is native to the Greater Antilles, on Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.
Myrciaria borinquena is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the forests of Puerto Rico. It is a small tree that produces round fruit around 25mm in diameter.
