Plants to 3 m. Leaves: petiole 0.5–6 cm; blade elliptic to obovate or rarely lanceolate, to 30 × 15 cm, base obtuse to attenuate, apex acute. Inflorescences spikes or spikelike, surpassing subtending leaves, to 30 cm; peduncle to 10 cm; pedicel 0.5–2 mm. Flowers: sepals 5, white or pink to pale reddish, broadly elliptic, equal, to 3 × 2 mm; stamens (8–)10–22(–30), usually in 2 whorls; carpels mostly 6–10, connate; ovary 6–10-loculed. Berries purple-black, 7–8 mm diam. Seeds black, thickly lenticular, 2.5–3 mm, shiny.

Phenology: Flowering summer–winter.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, chrome ore piles
Elevation: 10-1800 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Calif., Md., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Some authors (e.g., J. I. Davis 1985) include Phytolacca octandra in the synonymy of P. icosandra.

Selected References

Steinmann, V. W. 1997. Phytolacca icosandra L. (Phytolaccaceae): New to the continental United States. Madroño 44: 108–109.

Lower Taxa

None.