Callicarpa acuminata
StarCallicarpa acuminata
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Mexican and Maya folk medicine the leaves of Callicarpa acuminata are widely used for digestive complaints: a tea or cold-water infusion of the crushed leaves is taken to stop vomiting, diarrhoea and dysentery, and the plant is also used for menstrual irregularities and cramping, with an anti-inflammatory reputation for bloating and pain (Maya ethnobotany, Backyard Nature; Vanderbilt CLACX). The crushed leaves additionally yield a mosquito-repellent compound.
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Botanical Description
Callicarpa acuminata, the Mexican or black beautyberry, is a deciduous shrub in the family Lamiaceae, native from Mexico through Central America to Bolivia, where it grows in dry forest, thickets, secondary scrub and disturbed ground. It is a multi-stemmed, spreading shrub commonly reaching one to three metres tall, with opposite, ovate to elliptic leaves that taper to a pointed tip (the source of the epithet acuminata) and have toothed margins and a softly hairy underside. Small flowers are borne in dense, stalked cymes in the leaf axils, with a tubular pinkish to lilac corolla and protruding stamens. The fruits are conspicuous clusters of small, rounded, fleshy berries that ripen, unusually for the genus, to a dark purple-black rather than the bright magenta of many beautyberries. The plant is grown ornamentally for these striking fruit clusters and is a familiar component of Mexican rural and roadside vegetation.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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