Laguncularia racemosa (L.) C.F. Gaertn.
White mangrove
White mangrove is native to western Africa, tropical and subtropical Americas, and the Galápagos Islands. It is the sole member of the genus Laguncularia. Red, black, and white mangroves tend to occur together, with the red mangroves closest to the water, black between, and white further inland. These species are not closely related, but they evolved to thrive in similar saline habitats.
Plants: Shrub or small tree 6½–49′ (2–15 m) tall. Back is gray-brown or reddish, with fissures. While red mangroves have hanging prop roots, and black mangroves have upward-pointing pneumatophores, white mangroves may have either of these in response to varying environmental conditions.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, oblong to oval, yellow-green, and 2–3½″ (5.5–9 cm) long. (Wikipedia lists leaf sizes of 4½–7 ⨉ ⅞–1¾″ (12–18 ⨉ 2.5–5 cm).) Each leaf lacks veins, and has a pair of raised glands, loosely resembling mosquito bites, at its base. Leaf edges, both above and below, have many tiny pits. Leaf petioles are ⅜–½″ (1–1.3 cm) long.
Flowers: Panicles of greenish white fragrant flowers 2½–3″ (7–8 cm) long appear on axils or branch tips. Each bell-shaped flower has five petals and ten stamens, and is up to ⅛″ (5 mm) in size.
Fruits: Reddish-brown drupes resembling lenses in shape are about ⅜–¾″ (1.2–2 cm) long, and ridged along the longer dimension.
Habitats: Bays, lagoons, and tidal creeks, well above high tide.
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Red, black, white, and button mangroves. |
Online References:
References:
Conocarpus racemosa L.
4/1/2025 · Elizabeth Bay Mangrove Lagoon, Isabella, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Myrtales | Includes myrtles, leadwoods, loosestrifes, pomegranates, evening primroses, many others |
| Family | Combretaceae | Various trees, shrubs and lianas, including leadwood, other tropical and subtropical plants |
| Genus | Laguncularia | From the Latin laguncul, “a little flask,” referring to the shape of the white mangrove‘s fruit |
| Species | racemosa | With flowers in racemes |
Laguncularia racemosa description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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