Rivina humilis

Rivina humilis L.

Common Names: Lipstick Bush, Pigeon Berry, Wild Tomato, Rouge Plant, Blood Berry

Family: Phytolaccaceae

Habit: Rivina humilis grows as long-lived perennial becoming woody at stem base to 2 m in height. The leaves are arranged alternately, to 10 cm in length, ovate to lanceolate, with an acute leaf apex and entire margin.

The incomplete, perfect actinomorphic, flowers are arranged in axillary and terminal racemes.  The calyx has 4 greenish/whitish pink, unfused, unfused, sepals subtended by two bracts. There is no corolla. There are 4 stamens unfused along most of their length.  The ovary is superior with a single locule.  The fruit is a red drupe at maturity

Habitat: Rivina humilis grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Shrubland (coppice) and Human Altered environments (abandoned fields, waster areas, roadside).

Distribution: Rivina humilis occurs on all island groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago as well as the southern United States, the entire Caribbean region and throughout Central and South America.  It is now spreading as an invasive in Asia.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Rivina humilis is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.