Plant Listings

Duranta erecta L.

Synonym: Duranta repens

Common Names: Golden Dew Drop, Pigeon Berry

Family: Verbenaceae

Habit: Duranta erecta grows as a shrub up to 7 meters in height. The leaves are arranged oppositely, up to 8 cm long, ovate/obovate/elliptic in shape with either an entire or slightly serrate leaf margin.

The complete, perfect, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in terminal and axillary pendulant racemes. The calyx has 5 fused greenish sepals. The corolla has 5 fused purple-pink petals often with a white edge and/or striping. There are 4 functional stamens and 1 staminode that are fused to the throat of the corolla. The ovary is superior with 4 locules and multiple ovules. The fruit is golden orange few seeded berry at maturity.

Habitat: Duranta erecta grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation Forests/Woodlands/Shrublands (coppice/scrubland), Pine Woodlands and Human Altered environments.

Distribution: Duranta erecta occurs throughout the Lucayan Archipelago and tropical and subtropical regions of the world. 

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

The flowers are very attractive to butterflies and the fruits for birds.

Duranta erecta is used extensively in the horticultural industry due to its showy flowers and fruits and ability to be turned into hedges.