Common Name:

General Information

Miconia racemosa is an evergreen shrub or small tree; it can grow 2 - 3 metres tall. The stem is around 3 - 5cm in diameter, the plant often producing several stems from the root crown[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama; Caribbean - Trinidad to Jamaica.

Habitat

Old fields, tree plantations, secondary forests, roadsides, and landslides; at elevations up to 900 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 900 metres. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 1,600 - 3,000mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position, requiring at least partial sunlight in order to flower and fruit. It grows in the wild on moderately well drained, somewhat poorly, and poorly drained, clayey, weathered soils, particularly ultisols, on both sedimentary and igneous rocks[].
Habitat disturbance favours reproduction, but this requirement does not appear to be absolute. Seedlings are frequently found under plantations in mid-rotation or trees that have colonized old fields[].
The tree has a moderate rate of growth and a probable life-span of 10 - 20 years[].
The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[].
The tree responds well to coppicing[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. Juicy, but with very little flavour[]. The dark blue, purple to black, globose berries are 3 - 5mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

The leaves are antidysenteric, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent. An infusion is used in the treatment of dysentery[].
A decoction of the leaves is used to cicatrize old wounds[] .An infusion is used to clean sores[]. The leaves are macerated in cold water to make an antiseptic genital bath to remedy haemorrhaging[]. A pomade of the cooked leaves are used as a dressing[].

Other Uses

The light-brown wood is hard[]. It is used for small fence posts and stakes[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - it is very small. When surface sown on moist filter paper, 33% of the seed germinated within 18 days[]. The seedlings are tiny and difficult to handle[].

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