Plant Family: Belongs to the Verbenaceae or Verbena family, which includes Teak (Tectona grandis) and the shrub Blue Petrea (Petrea volubilis).

Description: Medium-size evergreen tree or large shrub, with peeling bark; leaves opposite, palmate, tri-foliate and petiolate; leaflets elliptical to 10 cm long (4 in) and 6 cm wide (2.3 in), petioles to 9 cm long (4.4 in); flowers in axillary, panicle inflorescences, blue, funnel shaped, with few flowers; fruit a drupe (succulent and single seeded).

Natural Habitat: In Dominica, the natural habitat is the rain forest at lower to mid elevations.

Origin and Distribution: Native to tropical America and the West Indies, including southern Florida; in Dominica, found at lower to mid elevations, such as Clarkehall and Pointe Michel.

Uses: Caribs use timber for boards and shingles, and, medicinally, use powdered burnt bark topically to treat ulcers.

References:
Dan H. Nicolson. Flora of Dominica, Part 2: Dicotyledoneae. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 1991
Robert A. DeFilipps. Useful Plants of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 1998