Chironia baccifera
| Chironia baccifera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In bloom | |
 | |
| In fruit | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Gentianaceae |
| Genus: | Chironia |
| Species: | C. baccifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Chironia baccifera | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| List
| |
Chironia baccifera, known as Christmas berry (a name it shares with Passerina ericoides), bitterbossie or aambeibessie, is species of Chironia native to southern South Africa.[2] A bushy shrub, it can reach 1 m (3 ft 3 in), but is typically 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) in width and height. Its Afrikaans name aambeibessie refers to its supposed medicinal use in treating haemorrhoids.[3] It is used as an ornamental, preferring sandy soils. It is mildly toxic.[4]
References
- ^ Sp. Pl.: 190 (1753)
- ^ a b "Chironia baccifera L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ Lätti, Ivan. "Chironia baccifera and the Doctrine of Signatures". Photos of South African Plants. Operation Wildflower. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ Lätti, Ivan. "Chironia baccifera, the Christmas berry". Photos of South African Plants. Operation Wildflower. Retrieved 27 October 2020.