Peregrina

Scientific name: Jatropha integerrima

POWO Status: Shrub or Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Least Concern

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 56.78″ N, 64° 49′ 45.84″ W

Common Name: Peregrina, Spicy Jatropha
Scientific Name: Jatropha integerrima Jacq.
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Leaf Type: Simple, alternate, variable in shape—entire, lobed, or fiddle-shaped; glossy dark green
Evergreen: Yes, in warm tropical climates
Leaf Flush: Continuous, especially after pruning or active flowering; new leaves are reddish or bronze
Senescence: Individual older leaves yellow and drop over time, but overall canopy remains green

Inflorescence: Bright red to deep pink flowers in terminal clusters (corymbs or cymes)
Blooming Period: Year-round in tropical conditions, with peaks in warm and wet seasons
Pollinators: Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Phenological Indicator: Bright floral clusters on branch tips; new buds, open flowers, and spent blooms often present together

Fruit Type: Small, 3-lobed capsule that turns from green to tan-brown when mature
Fruit Development: Follows flowering; develops quickly and may persist on plant for several weeks
Dispersal: Gravity and explosive dehiscence; seeds may be ejected from mature capsules
Phenological Indicator: Developing or mature dry capsules present alongside or after flowering

May be confused with other Jatropha species—verify by compact flower clusters and shiny leaves

Jatropha integerrima is commonly grown as an ornamental, appreciated for its constant flowering and pollinator activity

It responds well to pruning, which often stimulates new flowering and leaf flush

Best phenological markers: terminal flower clusters, capsule formation, and leaf color transitions