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purple flower, orange berries, shrub in Florida

16 years ago

Hi. My uncle in Florida has some shrubby flowering plants with small purple flowers that become orange berries. The shrub looks a bit like an American beautyberry in overall shape. The leaves are simple, elliptic, serrated and opposite.

The berry, when broken open, has four chambers. I've seen one berry germinate four little embryos, so I guess each berry has four seeds.

Any guesses? If it's native to SE USA, I will let the babies grow on (I'm in NC).

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Comments (7)

User
16 years ago
Malpighia glabra perhaps?
A picture would really help.
HTH
CHris
taragirl
Original Author
16 years ago
It's not Malpighia glabra -- I just looked that up, and its leaves are too smooth and round and glossy. I wish I had a photo, but I saw it last fall and didn't have a camera. Now I have seedlings, about an inch tall! Would a photo of those help?
I should also mention that the berries are the size of holly berries and very orange, not reddish. I think they were in clusters on the stem.
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User
16 years ago
It requires True Leaves for ID in most cases Seed Leaves aren't distinctive.

Regards
Chris
chazparas
16 years ago
taragirl,
google duranta, to me that's what it sounds like.
User
16 years ago
Good guess. Does it also have thorns, many Durantas do?
taragirl
Original Author
16 years ago
Yes! Duranta it is! Yippee! Now I can read up all about it. This variety doesn't have thorns (thank goodness). Thanks for your help!
chazparas
16 years ago
taragirl,
Be careful of the berries around children. I don't know for a fact but heard or read that they are noxious. I grew mine from seeds collected in Fort lauderdale last winter, they grow relatively fast but I have to keep them as houseplants here in Massachusetts. Good Luck!

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