Ardisia escallonioides

Ardisia escallonioides Schltdl. & Cham

Common Names: Marlberry, Dog Berry

Family: Primulaceae

Habit Ardisia escallonioides grows as a shrub to small tree up to 8 meters in height.  The leaves are arranged alternately, lanceolate to oblanceolate, slightly fleshy, up to 20 cm long (typically shorter), with a rounded leaf apex and an entire margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers occur in panicles. The calyx has 5 unfused, green sepals occurring as triangular lobes.  The corolla has 5 fused, white with purple petals that form a short tube.  There are 5 bright yellow stamens that are fused to the corolla tube. The ovary is superior with 1 locule and many ovules.  The fruit is a black berry at maturity.

Habitat: Ardisia escallonioides grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation- Forest/Shrubland (coppice).

Distribution: Ardisia escallonioides occurs on the northern island groupings in the Lucayan Archipelago, as well as Florida, the Caribbean region, and Central America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Ardisia escallonioides is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.