Psychotria marginata | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Rubiaceae |
Genus: | Psychotria |
Species: | P. marginata |
Binomial name | |
Psychotria marginata | |
Synonyms | |
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Psychotria marginata is a tropical shrub in the gardenia family (Rubiaceae) and native to Central America. [1]
The species occurs from southern Mexico into tropical South America and grows primarily in wet biomes. [1]
Leaves feature pits approximately 1 mm in width that offer habitat to aggressive mites which protect the leaves against other herbivorous species. Dry-season and wet-season leaves are superficially similar but have substantial physiological differences, as the former require only half as much water to create sugar. [2]