NAPOLEON'S HAT

Scientific name: Peruvian Thevetia

Family: apocynaceae 

Origin: Central America.

popular names: napoleon hat, snake nut, acaimirim, cerbera, auaí-guaçu.

naturally occurring: in all tropical America and practically in all of Brazil.

Features: It is popularly known as Chapéu-de-napoleão, due to the shape of its fruits. A shrubby species, with a woody texture, it has a branched stem, grayish bark and milky sap, very toxic. The leaves are linear to lanceolate in shape. The flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter, are slightly fragrant and tubular, and may have a yellow or peach color.

They appear throughout the year, but more intensely in spring-summer and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The fruits are drupe-like, subglobose in shape, like a chestnut, with two to four large, poisonous seeds.

Usage: ornamental – species used in the decoration of gardens, either singly or in groups, forming massifs in large grassy spaces; It also grows well in large pots. Widely used as a tree on sidewalks, roads and beaches, due to its small size.

Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thevetia_peruviana; https://www.floresefolhagens.com.br/chapeu-de-napoleao-thevetia-peruviana/; https://museunacional.ufrj.br/hortobotanico/arvoresearbustos/Thevetiaperuviana.html; https://www.ppmac.org/content/aguai-chapeu-de-napoleao

See all tree and shrub species mapped on Bahiana