Endemic Plant - Maga Tree

Maga Tree (Eng.), Flor de Maga, Maga Colorada (Sp.), Thespesia grandiflora (Sci.), endemic plant species, Puerto Rico.

Information compiled by Alan Mowbray, USDA Forest Service,
El Yunque National Forest – 2009.

General Information:

Class-Dicots, Order-Malvales, Family-Malvaceae, Genus-Thespesia. Species-T. grandiflora. Thespesia grandiflora is endemic to Puerto Rico. The original extent of the species on the Island (before the advent of humans) is unknown, but it was probably common only in the moist limestone region. Because of deforestation and disturbance, the species has become common throughout the moist and wet areas of Puerto Rico. Flor de Maga’s flower is the “national” flower of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Description:

Thespesia grandiflora is an attractive, small to medium sized tree with dark green foliage and large, dark pink or red flowers. In natural forests, boles of this tree are generally straight, round, and free of limbs for approximately 10 feet (3 meters) or more. Typically 65 feet (20 meters) in height and 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter. The species grows on soils ranging from mildly alkaline to strongly acid, with textures ranging from sandy loams to clays. Natural trees grow best on colluvial lower slopes of limestone hills and the alluvial bottoms between the hills. Thespesia grandiflora grows in areas of Puerto Rico with mean annual precipitations ranging from 50 to 100 inches (1250 to 2500 millimeters) and mean annual temperature from 68 to 80 °F (20 to 27 °C).