About Pelliciera rhizophorae Triana & Planch.
Pelliciera rhizophorae, commonly called the tea mangrove, is an uncommon mangrove species. Its current distribution extends along the Pacific coast from the Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica to the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador, with additional stands located in Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia. This species was widespread during geological eras such as the Cenozoic. Pelliciera rhizophorae produces prolific blooms that generate a relatively large amount of nectar, which forms a food source for mangrove hummingbirds in Costa Rica. It is the only species in the genus Pelliciera. This genus was previously classified as the sole genus in the plant family Pellicieraceae, but it is now placed in the family Tetrameristaceae.
