''Hedyosmum mexicanum'' is a species of

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

in the family

Chloranthaceae Chloranthaceae is a family of flowering plants (angiosperms), the only family in the order Chloranthales. It is not closely related to any other family of flowering plants, and is among the early-diverging lineages in the angiosperms. They are ...

. It is found in Guatemala and Mexico. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

Description

''Hedyosmum mexicanum'' is known as a

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

variable plant containing adventitious roots and brittle twigs. It generally blooms as a shrub at approximately 2 meters in height. When it reaches its full tree size it could range from 8 to 12 meters or more. It contains opposite leaves with welded petioles. The male portion of the plant comprises a subsessile stamen, coupled with bilocular anther along with a short appendix at the apex. Furthermore, its female counterpart, the flower is assorted in panicles which contain trilobal perianth, embellished with the unilocular and inferior ovary. The style of the plant tends to be either very small or not present at all.

Habitat

The plant can generally be found around the northern parts of South American Colombia. They are as well found in abundance from Mexico to Panama. These plants are generally located in wet mountain forest and in pine forest.

Cultivation

''Hedyosmum mexicanum'' is a plant found in high moist tropic areas around the elevation of 1,100 - 2,900 meters. They typically flower and bear fruit year round where January to May are the peak fruit production. The fruits produces are edible and are sweet in flavor. The fruits can be bright green to yellowish, or white when mature in color measuring about 2–3 cm long and 2 cm thick. The fruits are categorize as drupes that contain brown or black seeds.

Threats

According to

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

, ''Hedyosmum mexicanum'' is in a vulnerable (VU) state. Major threats include agriculture and aquaculture from annual and perennial non-timber crops, and livestock farming. Locally, the tree is logged and harvested for wood.

Uses

A good source of lumber. Some people use the leaves for tea, to replace the intake of coffee.

Common names

Plantanillo, Mazoro, Palo de agua, Te azeteca, Té de monte, Té maya, Coter, Piñuela, Vara blanca, Vara de agua.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5455866 mexicanum Flora of Guatemala Flora of Mexico Taxonomy articles created by Polbot