Lacmellea panamensis (R. E. Woodson) Markgr.

Zschokkea panamensis Woodson, Trop. Woods 44: 22. 1935
Tree, 10-12 m. tall, essentially glabrous throughout; leaves firmly membranaceous to subcoriaceous, oblong-elliptic, 6-10 cm. long, 2-3 cm. broad, rather abruptly acuminate, obtusely cuneate at the base, the petioles 7-9 mm. long; inflorescence opposite-axillary, cymose, bearing 3-9 medium-sized white flowers, much shorter than the subtending leaves; calyx-lobes ovate-subreniform, broadly obtuse to rounded, 1-1.5 mm. long, minutely ciliolate; corolla salverform, the tube somewhat gibbous, 20-25 mm. long, about 1.5 mm. in diameter at the base, somewhat inflated at the insertion of the stamens, the lobes broadly and obliquely oblongelliptic, 7-8 mm. long, slightly spreading; stamens inserted near the orifice of the corollatube, included; berries subglobose, about 4r-4.5 cm. in diameter, containing 1-4 seeds.
Type locality: Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone, Panama. Distribution: Panama.

Lacmellea panamensis is a species of tree in the family Apocynaceae native to Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Ecuador. It is a medium-sized tree, with a straight trunk, that is scattered with conical spines that are rather blunt, a distinctive feature of the species. Its leaves are around 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long, spaced evenly along branches, simple in shape, dark green and if damaged produce a white latex. Their flowers are white and around 3 centimetres (1.2 in) long thin tubes and develop into yellow berries of 3 cm in diameter.

Its seeds weigh around 0.25 grams (0.0088 oz) and when they germinate the cotyledons remains underground, acting as an energy store. In an artificial experiment, 80% of seedlings were able to survive having their leaves removed, or being placed in deep shade (0.08% of full sunlight), making them relatively shade tolerant.