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Useful Tropical Plants

Iresine calea

(Ibáñez) Standl.

Amaranthaceae

+ Synonyms

Achyranthes calea Ibáñez

Achyranthes latifolia Benth. & Hook.f.

Gomphrena latifolia (Benth. & Hook.f.) M.Martens & Galeotti

Hebanthe mollis Hemsl.

Iresine latifolia Benth. & Hook.f.

Common Name:

Iresine calea
Flowers
Photograph by: O. M. Montiel
Creative Commons License
Iresine calea Iresine calea

General Information

Iresine calea is a much-branched, erect or scandent shrub, often climbing rather high over large shrubs[
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/
].
A popular decorative plant, it is also sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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/

Range

Central America - Costa Rica to Mexico.

Habitat

Moist or dry thickets, sometimes in dry open forest, often in roadside hedges, from sea level to about 1,800 metres, most plentiful at middle 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/
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height0.00 m
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is diaphoretic and diuretic[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

Other Uses

The inflorescences retain their form and colouring when dried, and on this account are much used for the decoration of houses and churches, especially upon altars[
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/
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Iresine+calea>

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