Characteristics
A bush or small tree. It can be 3.5 m tall. The crown is dense and round with many branches. The young branches are green and flexible. The shoots have a pair of spines at their ends. The leaves are in opposite pairs. The pairs are at right angles to each other along the twig. Leaves are 1.5-2.8 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. They are usually widest at the base and tapering slightly to the point. They are shiny dark green above and paler underneath. The flowers are small and white. They are shaped like tubes in short heads at the ends of twigs. The fruit are round berries. They are 0.6-1 cm long and black or purple when ripe. There are one or two seeds.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
evergreen
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
3.5
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
A subtropical plant. It occurs in dry bush.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
-
|
Usage
The fruit are eaten. They leave a bluish stain on the lips.
| Uses |
-
|
| Edible
|
fruits
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
Home