Callicarpa | |
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Callicarpa dichotoma 'Early Amethyst' (Purple beautyberry) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Lamiaceae |
Genus: | Callicarpa L. |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Callicarpa (beautyberry) is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the family Lamiaceae. [2] [3] [4] They are native to east and southeast Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, Madagascar, southeast North America and South America. [1] [5] [6] [7] [8]
The temperate species are deciduous, the tropical species evergreen. The leaves are simple, opposite, and 5–25 cm long. The flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The fruit is a berry, 2–5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for birds and other animals, though they will not eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly astringent but are made into wine and jelly. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species in Asia including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer .
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southeastern United States. [9] It can typically reach 1 to 2 meters in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Ornamental varieties of Callicarpa americana have been bred to have pink or white berries.
American beautyberry has been used as a folk remedy to prevent mosquito bites. [10] [11] Four chemicals isolated from Callicarpa have been shown to act as insect repellents: borneol, [12] callicarpenal, intermedeol, and spathulenol. [13] The use of callicarpenal has been patented by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service as a mosquito repellent. [10]
Accepted species [1]
Antidesma is a genus of tropical plant in the family Phyllanthaceae formally described by Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to tropical Africa, S + E + SE Asia, Australia, and various oceanic islands. The greatest diversity occurs in Southeast Asia.
Mallotus is a genus of the spurge family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1790. Two species are found in tropical Africa and Madagascar. All the other species are found in East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, eastern Australia, and certain islands of the western Pacific. The genus has about 150 species of dioecious trees or shrubs.
Cleistanthus is a plant genus of the family Phyllanthaceae, tribe Bridelieae, first described as a genus in 1848. It is widespread in much of the Old World Tropics in Asia, Africa, Australia, and various oceanic islands. Cleistanthus collinus is known for being toxic and may be the agent of homicides or suicides.
Drypetes is a plant genus of the family Putranjivaceae, in the order Malpighiales.
Arenga is a genus of palms, native to Southeast Asia, southern China, New Guinea, and northern Australia. They are small to medium-sized palms, growing to 2–20 m tall, with pinnate leaves 2–12 m long. Arenga palms can grow in areas with little sunlight and relatively infertile soil.
Chionanthus, common name: fringetrees, is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae.
Actinodaphne is an Asian genus of flowering plants in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It contains approximately 125 species of dioecious evergreen trees and shrubs.
Pothos is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Melodinus is a genus of plant in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1776. It is native to Indomalaya, Meganesia and various islands in the western Pacific. A type of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids called melodinines can be isolated from Melodinus plants.
Premna is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, first described for modern science in 1771. It is widespread through tropical and subtropical regions in Africa, southern Asia, northern Australia, and various islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Callicarpa erioclona is a species of beautyberry native to Vietnam, Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, Philippines, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. It produces small berries that grow in tight clusters. The fruit is edible, but is not commercially grown or sold in markets. The flowers are light-pink to white. The leaves can be mixed with coconut oil to treat open wounds.
Homalomena is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. Homalomena are found in southern Asia and the southwestern Pacific. Many Homalomena have a strong smell of anise. The name derives apparently from a mistranslated Malayan vernacular name, translated as homalos, meaning flat, and mene = moon.
Schismatoglottis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. Members of the genus are similar in appearance and growth habit to those of the genus Homalomena, but the two genera are not closely related. The primary difference is that the leaves of Schismatoglottis are not aromatic. Schismatoglottis are found primarily in tropical parts of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Melanesia. The majority of the species are native to the Island of Borneo.
Scindapsus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Queensland, and a few western Pacific islands. The species Scindapsus pictus is common in cultivation.
Urceola is a plant genus in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1798. It is native to China, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea.
Sphenodesme is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae, first described in 1820. The genus is native to southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China and Malesia.
Teijsmanniodendron is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, first described in 1904. It is native to Southeast Asia and Papuasia.