Asiatic ardisia
Ardisia quinquegona

Family: Primulaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 2-6 m high. Sometimes it has rhizomes or underground stems. The small branches are angular. They are 2-4 mm across. The leaf stalk is 5-10 mm long. It is brown and scaly. The leaf blade is oval and 8-16 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. It is dull and smooth on top and scaly underneath. The flowering stalks are in the axils of leaves and 3-5 cm long. The flowers are like membranes and 3 mm long. The fruit are 5 angled.

There are about 250-300 Ardisia species. They are mainly in the tropics. Also put in the family Myrsinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in damp spots in mixed forests between 200-1300 m altitude in S China. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan (Ryuku), Laos, Malaysia, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young leaves are used for tea.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Lao san shu

Synonyms

Ardisia elliptisepala E.Walker; Ardisia kinyunensis Z.Y.Zhu; Ardisia pauciflora Heyne; Ardisia pentagona A DC; Ardisia quinquegona var. hainanensis E.Walker; Ardisia quinquegona var. oblonga E.Walker; Bladhia pseudoquinquegona Masamune; Bladhis quinquegona (Blume) Nakai;