Rubiaceae FAMILY

Randia aculeata

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Randia aculeata is a deciduous shrub or small tree with a thin crown of many, nearly horizontal, spiny branches; it can grow 1.5 - 6 metres tall. The short, straight bole can be 8cm in diameter[ 447 Title Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Publication Author Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. Publisher USDA, Forest Service; Washington. Year 1964 ISBN Description Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine, dye and source of wood. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, as a bonsai specimen and is perhaps suitable as a pioneer species in dry areas prone to strong winds.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad to the Bahamas; SE N. America - Florida.

HabitatThickets and open forests, mainly in drier areas in the coastal, limestone and lower montane regions of Puerto Rico[ 447 Title Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Publication Author Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. Publisher USDA, Forest Service; Washington. Year 1964 ISBN Description Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species. ]. Unburned pinelands and along the margins of coastal hammocks in Florida[ 692 Title Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions Publication Author Francis J.K. (Editor) Website http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/wildland_shrubs.htm Publisher USDA; Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestr Year 2000 ISBN Description An excellent series of papers, in PDF format, from various authors giving quite detailed information on a range of shrubs growing in the United States and its Territories. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. Plants seldom, if ever, form thickets[ 692 Title Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions Publication Author Francis J.K. (Editor) Website http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/wildland_shrubs.htm Publisher USDA; Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestr Year 2000 ISBN Description An excellent series of papers, in PDF format, from various authors giving quite detailed information on a range of shrubs growing in the United States and its Territories. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].