Callicarpa

Callicarpa (Beautyberry) is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the family Verbenaceae; between 40-150 species are accepted by different botanists. They are native to east and southeast Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, southeast North America and Central America.

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, and considered unfit for human use. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer.


Uses
American beautyberry or Callicarpa americana has been found to be a natural insect repellent. Four chemicals have been isolated that appear to be the active ingredients; borneol, callicarpenal, intermedeol, and spathulenol. It has found to be repellant to the mosquitoes which carry yellow fever and malaria, as well as the tick which carries Lyme disease. The discovery and use of callicarpenal has been patented by the United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service. It has also been used to produce wine.


Species
Callicarpa acuminata is a species of beautyberry. Unlike the other species of this genus they produce small berry like fruits which can be dark-pruple or dark blue-purple. The fruit can sometimes be white. The flowers blooms are white. The fruit grow in tight clumps and sometimes resemble grapes. They are cultivated as garden trees.

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is an ornamental beautyberry tree grown in gardens and yards of the Southern United States. American beautyberries produce large clusters of purple berries, which birds and deer eat, thus distributing the seeds. The raw berries, while palatably sweet, are suitable for human consumption only in small amounts, because they are astringent; they are also used in jellies. The roots are used to make herbal tea. The leaves repel insects that carry Lyme disease, malaria, and yellow fever.

Bodinier's Beautyberry (species, Callicarpa bodinieri) is an attractive ornamental tree. It is grown in gardens for its decorative purple light-berries. While the berries are not poisonous, they are very bitter. Wild life will not eat them until there are no other available food sources. This species is more tolerant to cold than the American beautyberry. It is native to China.

Callicarpa cana is a species of beautyberry found in southeast Asia. The drupe-like berries are poisonous. The fruit is sometimes used as poison for fishing, while the roots are sometimes used to make herbal medicine drinks.

Japanese Beautyberry (species, Callicarpa japonica) is a beautiful tree with attractive purple berry fruits. The flowers can range from pink to white. They are cultivated as ornamental trees. They are popularly grown in gardens and parks. The berries are not edible. The leaves can be used to make herbal tea. This species is native to Japan. The berries provide food for birds and deers.

Callicarpa cathayana is a species of beautyberry. It is grown in gardens and parks as an ornamental plant for itsdeorative pink flowers and berries. The purple berries are a drupe. They are not edible for humans. Birds would eat the berrries and disperse the seeds. The species are indangered in the wild. Callicarpa cathayana is native to China.

Callicarpa dichotoma( common names, Purple Beautyberry or Early Amethyst) is species of beautyberry. They are cultivated as garden trees. The flowers are pink to white. The berries which are small drupes are purple. The fruits grow closely togater in large clusters. The fruit provides food for wild life. The berries are bitter and are unfit for culinary use. This species can be found in China and Japan.

Callicarpa erioclona. It produce small berries that grows in tightly together in clusters. The fruit are edible, but are not comerically grown or sold in markets. The flowers are light-pink to white. The leaves can be mixed with coconut oil to treat open wounds.

Callicarpa formosana. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant. The drupes resembling tiny clusters of berries are light-purple. The flowers are white. The tree is sometime use to make herbal medicine. This species ranges from Taiwan to southern Japan.

Callicarpa pedunculata. It is a small tree or shrub. The shrub produce dark-purple berries which are drupes. The leaves are green to brown color. It is grown as an ornamental shrub. The fruit are astringent and acidic to be eaten by people.

Callicarpa kwangtungensis. The tree is introduce to Europe as ornamental plants. The fruits are light-pink grows in small clusters. The flowers can range from pink to white. It is native to China. The berries are very bitter and inedible for Human use. Birds and other wild life won't eat them unless all their food source depleted.

Callicarpa reevesii. It is a small shrub. Its flowers can be white to light purple. Its leaves are small and oval-shaped.

Callicarpa lanata. It is native to India. The berres which are actually drupes provide food for wildlife. They are some used to make herbal medicine. The leaves are also food for wildlife.

Callicarpa nudiflora. It is grown as an ornamental plant. The plant is also use for medical perposes. Its native to Southeast Asia.

Callicarpa longifolia. They range from the Hamilyas, Japan to Australia. It is grown in yards and gardens as ornamental plants. The roots are use as herbal medicine to treat diarhria.

Callicarpa pentandra is a species of beautyberry tree. Its a tall large tree. The leaves are oval shaped. The flowers are violet florals. The berries are green when young but becomes bright pink purple when ripen. The plant has been medically use to treat toothache. It ranges from India, Southern China, Solomon Islands to Borneo. In borneo its loco name are Belau, Bilau, Guro and Kayu hobo.

Callicarpa rubella is a species of beautyberry. It is a shrub that produce pink or purple flowers followed by dar-purple berries. The berries are actually drupes. It is grown in garden as ornamental plants. The fruit attracts wildlife such as birds.

Callicarpa macrophylla. Its fruit are small white berries which actually are drupes. The fruit are edible and can be eaten raw when ripens. The seeds are poisonous. The leaves are use as herbal medicine to treat rheumatic joints. The leaves can also be use to make a herbal drink to treat drymaria diandra and oxalis. The leaves can also be use as decorations.

Callicarpa maingayi is a species of beautyberry plant in the Verbenaceae family. It is found in Malaysia and Singapore.

Callicarpa shikokiana, commonly called Shikoku beautyberry or China beautyberry, is a plant species in the Verbenaceae and is native to China. It is a shrub with pink flowers in summer and purple fruit in the fall. The berry-like fruit is a drupe. It is cultivated in home gardens and national parks as an ornamental plant. The leaves turn yellow in the fall.

Callicarpa mollis. It is cultivated and grown in gardens and parks as ornamental plant. It has purple flowers. It range from south east Asia to Korea and southern Japan.

Callicarpa tomentosa
 

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