Common name: Poke Root, Pigeon Berry
Phytolacca americana L. APNI* Synonyms: Phytolacca decandra L. APNI*
Description: Erect herb 1–3 m high, often woody at base, stems and inflorescences pink to reddish, glabrous.
Leaves elliptic to narrow-elliptic or lanceolate, 4–16 cm long, 1–4 cm wide, margins entire, glabrous; petiole mostly 10–20 mm long.
Stalk of inflorescence 4–5 cm long, pedicels in fruiting stage 6–10 mm long, longer than the fruit. Stamens mostly 10, generally inserted below disc. Carpels 10 or 11.
Fruit depressed-globose, 5–10 mm diam., red turning to black when ripe; to 11-lobed and 11-seeded.
Flowering: spring to summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Weed of waste places, especially in moister areas, not common; north from Gloucester. Native of trop. Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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