Rubiaceae FAMILY

Richardia scabra

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Richardia scabra is a loosely branched annual plant that can grow up to 80cm tall but is more commonly prostrate[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The root is sometimes gathered from the wild for medicinal use, where it is said to have similar properties to the widely used Ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha). The plant is cultivated in southern N. America as a forage plant, green manure and soil cover[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, north through the Caribbean and through Central America to southern N. America.

HabitatSandy soils, especially in cultivated fields[ 72 Title Manual of the Southeastern Flora. Publication Author Small J.K. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher University of N. Carolina Press. Year 1933 ISBN Description Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. Sandy savannahs and grasslands, on roadsides, turf and in cultivated fields and waste areas.