About Citharexylum montevidense (Spreng.) Moldenke
Citharexylum, the genus that includes Citharexylum montevidense, is a group of flowering plants belonging to the verbena family, Verbenaceae. This genus includes both shrub and tree species, which are commonly called fiddlewoods or zitherwoods. Members of the genus are native to the Americas, with their natural range extending from southern Florida and Texas in the United States down to Argentina. The greatest diversity of Citharexylum species is found in Mexico and the Andes. The genus name comes from the Greek words κιθάρα (kithara), which means "lyre", and ξύλον (xylon), which means "wood". This name refers to the historical use of the genus's wood for the sounding boards of string instruments. Several Citharexylum species, most notably C. caudatum and C. spinosum, are grown as ornamental plants.
