Plant Story

This species is a member of the Melastomataceae family, one of the most diverse and complex families within Costa Rica’s flora. This small tree reaches up to 7 meters, and boasts white flowers with purple stems likely pollinated by small insects like bees. Its fruits ripen purple and are consumed by birds and arboreal mammals. This tree has strong potential as an ornamental plant and inhabits altered areas in humid or cloud forests at low elevations. This plant is distributed from southern Mexico to Panama; in Costa Rica, it grows throughout the North Zone and the South Zone.