Steinmann 2001, Kearney and Peebles 1969

Duration: Perennial Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stems tall, branching, juicy, 1-2 m tall, glabrous to puberulent. Leaves: Large, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, 5-30 cm long, acute or acuminate at base and tips. Flowers: Small and on erect spikelike racemes, with 5 petal-like sepals, appearing opposite the leaves, stamens many, styles and stigmas several, styles recurved, calyx 2-3 mm long, green, white or pink. Fruits: Juicy, globose berries, dark purple to black at maturity, bright red when young. Ecology: Found in disturbed or burned habitats from 5,000-6,000 ft (1524-1829 m), flowers July-December. Distribution: Ranges south into Mexico to northern South America, naturalized in the old world. Notes: Distinguished from P. americana by the dense spikelike raceme, which is erect in fruit. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Phytolacca is from Greek phyton for plant and the Latin lacca, crimson lake for the berry color, while rivinoides emerges from the root for growing by streams. Synonyms: Phytolacca icosandra, many others see Tropicos Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011