[For Ernst Ludwig Heim, 1747–1834, medical doctor in Berlin renowned for establishing sanitary health practices and said to have introduced Alexander von Humboldt to botany]

Shirley A. Graham

Shrubs or subshrubs, terrestrial, 5–30 dm, glabrous throughout. Stems erect, sparsely branched. Leaves opposite to subopposite; sessile or subsessile [petiolate]; blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, base narrowly attenuate. Inflorescences indeterminate, axillary, leafy racemes. Flowers sessile or subsessile, actinomorphic, monostylous; floral tube perigynous, campanulate to turbinate; epicalyx segments equal to or longer than sepals; sepals (5 or)6, 1/3–1/2 floral tube length; petals caducous, (5 or)6, bright yellow; nectary absent; stamens (10 or)12(–24); ovary (3 or)4(–6)-locular; placenta globose; style slender; stigma capitate. Fruits capsules, walls thin and dry, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 200+, subpyramidal and elongate; cotyledons ± complanate.

Species 1–3 (1 in the flora): Texas, Mexico, South America; introduced in West Indies, Central America.

Lower Taxon

• Heimia salicifolia Link