Callicarpa pedunculata
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Callicarpa pedunculata, commonly known as beautyberry or velvet-leaf, is a species of plant in the mint and sage family Lamiaceae. It is native to tropical areas from northeast India and southeast China, through the Philippines and New Guinea to eastern Australia.[2][4] It was first described by Scottish botanist Robert Brown in 1810.[5]
| Callicarpa pedunculata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Callicarpa |
| Species: | C. pedunculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Callicarpa pedunculata | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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25 synonyms
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Description
C. pedunculata is a shrub growing up to 4 m high. The twigs, the petioles and the underside of the leaf blade have a covering of stalked stellate hairs, while the upper surface of the leaf has a covering of stellate and simple hairs which become sparse when older. The Leaf blades are about 6-18 x 3-6 cm, and there are small, pale yellow, glands on the underside of the leaf. The bottom part of the leaf has smooth margins but the remainder is toothed.[4][6][7]
The inflorescences are 2 to 3 cm long, and sometimes inserted a little above leaf axil. The flowers have stalks which are 0.5 to 1 mm long, while the calyx 1 to 1.5 mm long, and the purple or mauve corolla is 2 to 3 mm long. The fruit are whitish to purple drupes.[4][6][7]
Uses
It is grown as an ornamental shrub.[citation needed] The fruit is astringent and too acidic to be eaten by people.[citation needed]