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Gymnosporia thompsonii (CHamorro: luluhot) is a species of plant in the bittersweet family Celastraceae. It is endemic to the Mariana and Caroline Islands where it grows as a many-stemmed understory shrub or small tree in karst forests.
Some authorities refer to the species as Maytenus thompsonii.
Gymnosporia thompsonii was thought to have served as the larval host plant to the endangered Mariana wandering butterfly (Vagrans egistina), since it had been observed on the plant on both Guam and Rota. However, the butterfly has not been observed on Guam since 1979, nor on Rota since 1995.
The plant has been used by Chamorro healers (yo’åmte) as a treatment for urinary tract infections and sore throats. Its wood is used for fuel.
Gymnosporia addat · Gymnosporia arbutifolia · Willow Spike Thorn · Camassiwood · Gymnosporia cassinoides · Dhofar Spikethorn · Gymnosporia harenensis · Angle Stem Spikethorn · Forest Maytenus · Gymnosporia pertinax · Maytenus senegalensis · Gymnosporia stylosa
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Gymnosporia thompsonii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
