Summary The Cuban endemic Plumeria filifolia Griseb. is illustrated from plants growing at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, Florida. This species belongs to the charismatic group of plants commonly known as frangipani. Though several species are often found in cultivation, many of the endemic wild growing Caribbean species, including P. filifolia, have not yet reached their full ornamental potential. A historical overview of early collections of P. filifolia is presented, along with a detailed description, habitat, distribution map, list of known herbarium specimens and conservation status. A review of the nomenclature including the second‐step lectotypification is provided. The species complex with P. stenophylla is reviewed, and based on morphological grounds, P. stenophylla is here regarded as a distinct species. As no previous monographic revision exists, morphological and ecogeographical patterns for the rest of the genus are discussed.

Undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math students (STEM) are usually not attuned to the intricacies of plant life histories or to the dynamic role plants play in ecosystems and human society, a phenomenon termed plant blindness. Botany education has declined in the past decades, whereas career paths that need and benefit from a workforce with botanical knowledge have increased. Consequently, there is a need to reduce plant blindness among undergraduate students, regardless of their career trajectories. We provide evidence that participation in a botanical experience as part of a general biology course can positively shift undergraduates’ perception of botany, the study of plants. Students participating in the botanical experience showed significant positive shifts in their ability to connect botany to their college major and future careers. In addition, we show qualitative data indicating a new respect for plants and a new appreciation for the diversity among plants.

An update of the nomenclature of 49 Caribbean Island-occurring taxa of Plumeria (Apocynaceae: Plumerieae) is presented. We designate lectotypes for the following 29 names: