Varronia spinescens
(L.) Borhidi
Boraginaceae
Cordia coloradiphila Gilli
Cordia costaricensis I.M.Johnst.
Cordia crenulata A.DC.
Cordia ferruginea (Lam.) Kunth
Cordia laxiflora Kunth
Cordia pauciflora Rusby
Cordia platystachya Killip ex J.Estrada
Cordia poeppigii A.DC.
Cordia pyrifolia Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
Cordia rhombifolia Estrada
Cordia riparia Kunth
Cordia spinescens L.
Cordia thibaudiana A.DC.
Lithocardium crenulatum (A.DC.) Kuntze
Lithocardium ferrugineum Kuntze
Lithocardium laxiflorum (Kunth) Kuntze
Lithocardium poeppigii (A.DC.) Kuntze
Lithocardium riparium (Kunth) Kuntze
Lithocardium thibaudianum (A.DC.) Kuntze
Montjolya ferruginea (Lam.) Friesen
Quarena spinescens (L.) Raf.
Tournefortia polystachya Poepp. ex A.DC.
Varronia coloradiphila (Gilli) Borhidi
Varronia costaricensis (I.M.Johnst.) Borhidi
Varronia crenulata Pav. ex A.DC.
Varronia ferruginea Lam.
Varronia laxiflora (Kunth) Borhidi
Varronia martinicensis Desf.
Varronia pauciflora (Rusby) Borhidi
Varronia poeppigii (A.DC.) Borhidi
Varronia pyrifolia Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
Varronia riparia (Kunth) Borhidi
Common Name:
General Information
Varronia spinescens is a deciduous shrub with long, arching or sprawling branches; it usually grows around 1 - 3 metres tall, occasionally to 6 metres[
485- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.
Varronia spinescens has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
485- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
Range
S. America - Bolivia, northern Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama, north to central Brazil.
Habitat
A very widespread, weedy species that can be found in a wide variety of habitats including open disturbed areas and moist ditches along roadsides; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[
485- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
]
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Deciduous Shrub |
| Height | 2.50 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The red, drupaceous fruit is around 4mm long and 3mm wide[
485- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].
Although we have seen no specific information for this species, the fruits of most Cordia (Varronia) species are comprised of a thin to fairly thick layer of pulpy, sweetish-tasting flesh surrounding a single seed and are more or less edible[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
422- Title
- Fruits of the Guianan Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
- Publisher
- Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 90-9000988-4
- Description
- Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
], (though some are known to cause gastric disturbances).
Medicinal
The entire plant is used in the treatment of skin diseases and fevers[
1905- Title
- Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
- Publication
- Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
- Author
- Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
- Website
- http://10.1111/jphp.12715
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. The plant is used to treat cuts[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
A decoction of the leaves has a sedative effect upon the womb and is used in the treatment of postpartum pain[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
,
1905- Title
- Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
- Publication
- Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
- Author
- Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
- Website
- http://10.1111/jphp.12715
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. An infusion of the leaves is taken during menstruation to stop excessive bleeding[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
]
The leaves are applied topically as a treatment on burns[
1905- Title
- Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
- Publication
- Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
- Author
- Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
- Website
- http://10.1111/jphp.12715
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. The leaves, rubbed on the body, are used to treat irritated skin or skin infected by fungi[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
