Melastomataceae FAMILY

Clidemia hirta

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Clidemia hirta is a densely-branching shrub that usually grows from 50 - 300cm tall, often forming impenetrable stands, especially if growing in good soils[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. , 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The plant is harvsted from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is cultivated in tropical areas for its edible fruit[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia; C. America - Panama to Mexico.

HabitatMoist or wet mixed forest or thickets, often in second growth; at elevations up to 1,300 metres but most commonly at the lower elevations[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].