Turnera ulmifolia L.

Turnera ulmifolia, commonly known as the ramgoat dashalong, yellow alder, Cuban buttercup or West Indian holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Passifloraceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of northern South America and southern Florida. The plant is widely cultivated as an ornamental in tropical and subtropical regions and has become naturalized in many parts of the world. The species is sometimes confused with the closely related Turnera diffusa (damiana), leading to misidentification in horticultural and herbal trade.

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Turnera ulmifolia is a perennial subshrub or small shrub that typically grows 0.5–1.5 m tall. The stems are erect and become woody at the base with age. The leaves are alternate, elliptic to lanceolate, and usually 2–10 cm long, with serrated margins and a slightly rough surface. The plant produces solitary bright yellow flowers in the leaf axils. Each flower has five petals and five sepals, with numerous stamens surrounding the central pistil. The flowers are short-lived: they typically open early in the morning around sunrise and wilt or close by midday, lasting only a few hours. The fruit is a small capsule containing several seeds which are released when the capsule splits open at maturity.

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The flowers provide nectar for a variety of pollinators including bees and butterflies. The plant is capable of self-pollination but also benefits from insect pollination. Larvae of certain butterflies, including the tawny coster (Acraea terpsicore), feed on the leaves. Seeds may be dispersed by ants and other insects that collect and transport them from fallen fruits, aiding the plant’s spread in suitable habitats.