Naturalization of Dalechampia scandens in southern Florida

Abstract. Dalechampia scandens, a native to the American tropics, was recently found naturalized in two Broward County parks in southern Florida. This is the first spontaneous occurrence of the plant in the continental United States. One of the populations may be an escape from a butterfly attraction where the plant was introduced and grown to rear cracker (Hamadryas) butterflies. Dalechampia scandens is pollinated by Euglossa viridissima, a recently naturalized orchid bee in Florida, known to pollinate this species in Mexico.