Callicarpa (beautyberry) is a
genus of
shrubs and small
trees in the
familyLamiaceae.[2][3][4] They are
native to east and southeast
Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, Madagascar, south-eastern North America and South America.[1][5][6][7][8]
Growth
Callicarpa bush in autumn
The temperate species are
deciduous, the tropical species
evergreen. The
leaves are simple, opposite, and 5–25 cm long. The
flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The
fruit is a
berry, 2–5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for
birds and other animals, though they will not eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly
astringent but are made into wine and jelly. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera species in Asia including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer.
Familiar species
Callicarpa bodinieri flowers
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southeastern
United States.[9] It can typically reach 1 to 2 meters in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Ornamental varieties of Callicarpa americana have been bred to have pink or white berries.
Bodinier's beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri), native to west-central
China (
Sichuan,
Hubei,
Shaanxi), is more cold-tolerant than C. americana, and is the species most widely cultivated in northwestern
Europe. It can reach 3 meters tall.
^Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O. 2007: Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
^Leeratiwong, C., Chantaranothai, P. & Paton, A.J. (2009). A synopsis of the genus Callicarpa L. (Lamiaceae) in Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 37: 36-58.
^Bramley, G.L. (2009). The genus Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) on Borneo. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 159: 416-455.
^Bramley, G.L.C. (2013). The genus Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) in the Philippines. Kew Bulletin 68: 369-418.
^Cantrell, C. L.; Klun, J. A.; Bryson, C. T.; Kobaisy, M.; Duke, S. O. (2005). "Isolation and Identification of Mosquito Bite Deterrent Terpenoids from Leaves of American (Callicarpa americana) and Japanese (Callicarpa japonica) Beautyberry". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 53 (15): 5948–53.
doi:
10.1021/jf0509308.
PMID16028979.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Callicarpa.
Callicarpa (beautyberry) is a
genus of
shrubs and small
trees in the
familyLamiaceae.[2][3][4] They are
native to east and southeast
Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, Madagascar, south-eastern North America and South America.[1][5][6][7][8]
Growth
Callicarpa bush in autumn
The temperate species are
deciduous, the tropical species
evergreen. The
leaves are simple, opposite, and 5–25 cm long. The
flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The
fruit is a
berry, 2–5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for
birds and other animals, though they will not eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly
astringent but are made into wine and jelly. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera species in Asia including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer.
Familiar species
Callicarpa bodinieri flowers
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southeastern
United States.[9] It can typically reach 1 to 2 meters in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Ornamental varieties of Callicarpa americana have been bred to have pink or white berries.
Bodinier's beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri), native to west-central
China (
Sichuan,
Hubei,
Shaanxi), is more cold-tolerant than C. americana, and is the species most widely cultivated in northwestern
Europe. It can reach 3 meters tall.
^Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O. 2007: Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
^Leeratiwong, C., Chantaranothai, P. & Paton, A.J. (2009). A synopsis of the genus Callicarpa L. (Lamiaceae) in Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 37: 36-58.
^Bramley, G.L. (2009). The genus Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) on Borneo. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 159: 416-455.
^Bramley, G.L.C. (2013). The genus Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) in the Philippines. Kew Bulletin 68: 369-418.
^Cantrell, C. L.; Klun, J. A.; Bryson, C. T.; Kobaisy, M.; Duke, S. O. (2005). "Isolation and Identification of Mosquito Bite Deterrent Terpenoids from Leaves of American (Callicarpa americana) and Japanese (Callicarpa japonica) Beautyberry". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 53 (15): 5948–53.
doi:
10.1021/jf0509308.
PMID16028979.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Callicarpa.