Herbs and Herbalism

South America Plant ID

Fruit/Seed/Berries
Abrus precatorius -oval 3mm diameter, hard, polished

Flowers
Green
Wormseed Perennial wayside herb up to 1m/3ft, stout erect stem, green/yellow flowers

Orange
Tagetes Annual herb up to 30cm/1ft tall with bright orange daisy like flowers

Purple
Cowhage Evergreen climber. Leaves: downy. Flowers: purple or white in clusters, covered in orange or brown bristles

Jaborandi Woody shrub up to 2m/6ft, smooth grey bark, large brown leaves, red/purple flowers

Verbena lemon Deciduous perennial bushy shrub up to 150cm/5ft, woody stem, small pale purple flowers in clusters Leaves: whorls of 3 or 4, lanceolate up to 10cm long with lateral veins

Red
Jaborandi Woody shrub up to 2m/6ft, smooth grey bark, large brown leaves, red/purple flowers

Nasturtium Annual Climbing, hairless plant 30cm-1m/1ft-3ft. Leaves: round Red, yellow and gold bell shaped flowers, 5 petals June-September

White
Cowhage Evergreen climber. Leaves: downy. Flowers: purple or white in clusters, covered in orange or brown bristles

Passion flower Perennial climbing plant up to 8m/26ft Leaves: ovate, cordate, palmately three lobed Flowers: creamy/white - lavender with purple calyces

Yellow
Groundsel Low annual. Leaves: pinnately lobed. Flowers: yellow, 6mm long, 3mm broad, loose clusters Bracts: black tipped

Nasturtium Annual Climbing, hairless plant 30cm-1m/1ft-3ft. Leaves: round Red, yellow and gold bell shaped flowers, 5 petals June-September

Wormseed Perennial wayside herb up to 1m/3ft, stout erect stem, green/yellow flowers

Leaves
Cordate
Passion flower Perennial climbing plant up to 8m/26ft Leaves: ovate, cordate, palmately three lobed Flowers: creamy/white - lavender with purple calyces

Entire Margin
Cheken Leaves: ovate, leathery, 1-1.5cm long, 0.5-1cm wide, entire margins, short stalked, minute oil cells

Lanceolate
Verbena lemon Deciduous perennial bushy shrub up to 150cm/5ft, woody stem, small pale purple flowers in clusters Leaves: whorls of 3 or 4, lanceolate up to 10cm long with lateral veins

Lobed
Groundsel Low annual. Leaves: pinnately lobed. Flowers: yellow, 6mm long, 3mm broad, loose clusters Bracts: black tipped

Passion flower Perennial climbing plant up to 8m/26ft Leaves: ovate, cordate, palmately three lobed Flowers: creamy/white - lavender with purple calyces

Ovate
Cheken Leaves: ovate, leathery, 1-1.5cm long, 0.5-1cm wide, entire margins, short stalked, minute oil cells

Lippia Leaves: up to 5cm long, ovate, pointed, serrate

Passion flower Perennial climbing plant up to 8m/26ft Leaves: ovate, cordate, palmately three lobed Flowers: creamy/white - lavender with purple calyces

Pinnate
Groundsel Low annual. Leaves: pinnately lobed. Flowers: yellow, 6mm long, 3mm broad, loose clusters Bracts: black tipped

Pointed
Lippia Leaves: up to 5cm long, ovate, pointed, serrate

Round
Nasturtium Annual Climbing, hairless plant 30cm-1m/1ft-3ft. Leaves: round Red, yellow and gold bell shaped flowers, 5 petals June-September

Serrated
Lippia Leaves: up to 5cm long, ovate, pointed, serrate

Stalked
Cheken Leaves: ovate, leathery, 1-1.5cm long, 0.5-1cm wide, entire margins, short stalked, minute oil cells

Stems
Climbing
Nasturtium Annual Climbing, hairless plant 30cm-1m/1ft-3ft. Leaves: round Red, yellow and gold bell shaped flowers, 5 petals June-September

Erect
Wormseed Perennial wayside herb up to 1m/3ft, stout erect stem, green/yellow flowers

Fungus
Ergot Parasitic fungus black spindle shaped, purplish up to 3cm long

Trees
Evergreen
Cedarwood Atlas Pyramid shaped evergreen tree up to 40m/130ft tall, produces cones Foliage: deep green - blue/green

Cedarwood Texas Evergreen tree up to 7m/23ft tall, green needles. Tends to be crooked or twisted

Cinquefoil Evergreen tree 6-10m/20-30ft Thick bark, stocky branches. Shiny, leathery leaves, small white flowers, blue/white berries

Juniper Evergreen conifer. Up to 1.5-3.5m/4-12ft. Stem: reddish Leaves prickly needles in whorls of three Flowers small yellow at base of leaves May - June Fruit green berry like cone in June ripens to dark purple berries September or October

Schinus molle Evergreen tree up to 20m/66ft, drooping foliage, yellow flowers

Bark
Brown
Cascarilla bark Large shrub or small tree up to 12m/40ft. Ovate silver/bronze leaves. Pale yellow/brown bark and small white flowers

Yellow
Cascarilla bark Large shrub or small tree up to 12m/40ft. Ovate silver/bronze leaves. Pale yellow/brown bark and small white flowers

Flowers
Green
Tall tree, straggling branches. Leaves: narrow, pointed, dark green Flowers: green-yellow in panicles

Violet
Tonka Tree. Violet flowers which bear a black bean

White
Cascarilla bark Large shrub or small tree up to 12m/40ft. Ovate silver/bronze leaves. Pale yellow/brown bark and small white flowers

Cinquefoil Evergreen tree 6-10m/20-30ft Thick bark, stocky branches. Shiny, leathery leaves, small white flowers, blue/white berries

Yellow
Tall tree, straggling branches. Leaves: narrow, pointed, dark green Flowers: green-yellow in panicles

Juniper Evergreen conifer. Up to 1.5-3.5m/4-12ft. Stem: reddish Leaves prickly needles in whorls of three Flowers small yellow at base of leaves May - June Fruit green berry like cone in June ripens to dark purple berries September or October

Schinus molle Evergreen tree up to 20m/66ft, drooping foliage, yellow flowers

Fruit
Blue
Cinquefoil Evergreen tree 6-10m/20-30ft Thick bark, stocky branches. Shiny, leathery leaves, small white flowers, blue/white berries

Cones
Cedarwood Atlas Pyramid shaped evergreen tree up to 40m/130ft tall, produces cones Foliage: deep green - blue/green

Purple
Juniper Evergreen conifer. Up to 1.5-3.5m/4-12ft. Stem: reddish Leaves prickly needles in whorls of three Flowers small yellow at base of leaves May - June Fruit green berry like cone in June ripens to dark purple berries September or October

White
Cinquefoil Evergreen tree 6-10m/20-30ft Thick bark, stocky branches. Shiny, leathery leaves, small white flowers, blue/white berries

Leaves
Dark Green
Tall tree, straggling branches. Leaves: narrow, pointed, dark green Flowers: green-yellow in panicles

Narrow
Tall tree, straggling branches. Leaves: narrow, pointed, dark green Flowers: green-yellow in panicles

Needles
Cedarwood Texas Evergreen tree up to 7m/23ft tall, green needles. Tends to be crooked or twisted

Ovate
Cascarilla bark Large shrub or small tree up to 12m/40ft. Ovate silver/bronze leaves. Pale yellow/brown bark and small white flowers

Pointed
Tall tree, straggling branches. Leaves: narrow, pointed, dark green Flowers: green-yellow in panicles

Prickly
Juniper Evergreen conifer. Up to 1.5-3.5m/4-12ft. Stem: reddish Leaves prickly needles in whorls of three Flowers small yellow at base of leaves May - June Fruit green berry like cone in June ripens to dark purple berries September or October

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