Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
|---|
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Tropical America; naturalized in many countries in the old world tropics as well as in countries such as China and Japan. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Herb to 1m tall |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves light - dark green, to 12cm long by 4cm wide, glabrous or with fine hairs especially along veins. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence to 15cm in length; flowers cream to white, or with a pale pink tinge; sepals to 0.3cm in length. |
| Fruit | Fruit a subglobose berry to 0.4cm in diameter, orange, bright red or purplish red. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: In Jamaica, the plant is used in the treatment of colds and diarrhoea Others: Some of the Native American tribes purportedly extracted a red dye from the ripe berries. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Fruits |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Small Gardens, Interiorscape/ Indoor Plant, Container Planting |
| Thematic Landscaping | Bird & Wildlife Garden |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Toxic Upon Ingestion |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | Fruits are toxic to humans |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Fruits) |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp)) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils, Easy to Grow |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, Pink, White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange, Purple, Red |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 31421 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 5818 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |