MANGROVEBERRY

CAUTION: Never harvest this plant or its fruits from the wild - it is a state-threatened species. Obtain potted specimens from a reputable native plant nursery and grow it in your yard. 

EDIBLE FRUITS: Fruits are edible when they turn fully black, not when they are half ripe while reddish. [5] Daniel Austin in Florida Ethnobotany writes, "Hedrick, 1919, said the fruits of Mosiera have "the flavor of cranberries." I consider them the best of those plants called stoppers." [9] 
MEDICINAL USES: It is used medicinally in the Bahamas, being "used in general soothing teas, to treat colds, diarrhea, stomach aches, and as an aphrodisiac tea for men. The fruits are edible. Either the leaves or the bark is used to treat diseases." [5] 
FRAGRANT FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE: The flowers are delightfully, lightly fragrant. The crushed leaves emit an unusual fragrance.
WILDLIFE: Birds eat the fruits. [3] Bees and butterflies are attracted to the flowers. [6] Deer resistant. [6]
LANDSCAPE USES: "Groundcover or border plant. This is a low spreading shrub. Shiny foliage." [3] 

NATIVE TO: "South Florida and the West Indies (Bahamas, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico)." [2] Here in Florida, it is only found growing wild in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties [Mainland Monroe and the Florida Keys]. "Throughout the Bahamian Archipelago as well as Florida and Mexico." [5] "Found in the Lesser Antilles in Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin." [7] ANDY'S NOTE: I don't believe that it is native to Mexico.
HABITAT: "Disturbed upland, marl prairie, pine rockland, and rockland hammock." [2] "Forests, woodlands, shrublands, as well as in pinelands. It is common along rocky coastlines as well as interior plant communities." [5]
POPULATIONS: The Florida Native Plant Society writes, "34 populations are reported, although many have not been confirmed in over 20 years; about 20 populations are reported in conservation areas." [3] 

PROTECTED STATUS: A state-threatened species here in Florida. "Florida Natural Areas Inventory State Status: Imperiled." [2] FNAI Ranks: G4/S2. [3]
DESCRIPTION: An evergreen low shrub or small tree. [5]
- HEIGHT: 1.5 to 12 feet tall. [3] reported to 15 feet tall in the Bahamas. [5]
- TRUNK: Twisted. [3]
- BARK: "Thin, flaking bark." [3]
- LEAVES: Opposite, simple, entire, oval, nearly round, about one inch long.[3] [5] The leaves have "smooth margins and can be up to six centimeters long.  Young stems and petioles often have a reddish color." [5] Leaves "with reddish, translucent veins and gland dots visible from below." [3] "The leaves have a distinctive odor when crushed." [5]
- FLOWERS: Small, white, showy. Half an inch across. [3] "The flowers occur in groups from one to four, in leaf axils and are fragrant.  The calyx has four unfused sepals.  The corolla has four unfused white petals.  There are numerous stamens." [5] "Four white to pink petals and numerous stamens, solitary on 1 inch long stalks." [3] "Flowers spring and summer." [3] "Lightly fragrant." [6]
- FRUIT: Turns black when ripe. [3] "The fruit is a berry that turns dark red to black with maturity and retains the sepals at its top like a crown." [5] "Round, red turning to black, on long stalks." [3]
SIMILAR SPECIES: The Florida Native Plant Society writes, "Numerous stoppers and other tropical shrubs have opposite, oval leaves. Look for translucent veins on the leaves, and for fruits and flowers on very long stalks." [3] 

CULTURE:
- SPACING: 2-4 feet. [6]
- HARDINESS: 30F [USDA zone 10A]. [6]
- LIGHT: "Full sun to light shade." [1]
- SOIL: "Sand, lime rock." [3] "Calcareous (high pH)." [3]
- WATER: "Moderately dry to moderately moist soils." [1] High drought tolerance according to the Florida Native Plant Society. [3]
- SALT TOLERANCE: Low. [1] "Not salt tolerant." [3]
- PROPAGATION: Seed. [3]