Ardisia elliptica
Myrsinaceae
In natural areas at this moment are massive glistening clusters of shoebutton ardisia fruits. Wow is it prolific! The plant is a worldwide invasive exotic once grown in gardens, now a shrubby nuisance in natural areas. Don’t know if it is just “sampling error,” but I feel like I see more of it in Martin County and northward, than in PB County. In any case, there is plenty for everybody.
Shoebutton by John Bradford
Something I often wonder in the cases of invasive species with supernatural growth, as many seem to have, is, “isn’t there a way to harness that exuberance”? Biofuels, or food, fodder, fibers, or lumber, oils…some silver lining to each different invasive cloud.
The flowers by JB (not flowering now)
In the case of shoebutton ardisia, maybe medicines of the future, which is an over-worked theme perhaps in plant science, but this case seems so promising. Do not get me wrong, I am not suggesting using extracts from the plant for any purpose. No no no! Very likely toxic and dangerous. But maybe with continued research it could earn its keep. A diverse handful of unrelated plants produce a compound called bergenin. One is Caesalpinia digyna, a legume used traditionally to treat anxiety among other purposes. That is interesting because bergenin has emerged as a potential candidate as a natural antianxiety medication reportedly (one study) rivaling Valium (Diazepam) in effectiveness. Ardisias too produce bergenin, including A. elliptica.
Lots of berries
To get to the point then, shoebutton ardisia grows unwelcomely in Florida and around the tropical globe in crop-sized quantities on poor soils with no fertilizer, and makes billions of fruits. Wouldn’t it just be a fine thing IF bergenin turned out to be an effective and safe antianxiety med, and IF it could be sourced to redeem today’s rampant invader?
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John Bradford
George Rogers
George Rogers
Dee Staley
Treasure Coast Natives 
Laure Hristov
November 18, 2022 at 4:57 pm
I believe God put everything we need here on earth! Up to man to figure out how to use it! With all the anxiety these past few years, it’s time! Pretty flower too 😊
George Rogers
November 19, 2022 at 7:37 am
Yes….I’ve spent all my working life hearing how plant-based discoveries will provide new medicines, industrial products, biofuels, etc. And of course there is obvious truth to that. But the ratio of “promising plants” (thousands of articles) to actually useful new products is so low that it is easy to be skeptical of each new claim. Even so, sort of like Bitcoin mining (whatever that is), a lot of effort and tolerance of a lot of dead ends produces an occasional gem. The present case just somehow struck me as particularly attractive.
theshrubqueen
November 20, 2022 at 8:51 am
The compounds found in plants and what people are able to do with them amaze me. Vinca?! a potent chemo drug! I hope somebody figures out the valium substitute.
George Rogers
November 20, 2022 at 9:14 am
The green treasure chest was hot stuff back say in the 80s, faddish. That led to an investment bubble. A fairly large startup called Shaman Pharmaceuticals gathered a lot of capital and then went broke in that bubble. That’s not to say there’s no gold in the hills, but it has to be mined right, not a goldrush.
theshrubqueen
November 20, 2022 at 9:16 am
Absolutely, I would not have invested in something called Shaman..
George Rogers
November 20, 2022 at 9:34 am
Agreed!
Suzanne Koptur
November 20, 2022 at 8:38 pm
We sure do have a lot of this in Miami-Dade! Must be irresistible to birds.
George Rogers
November 22, 2022 at 9:34 am
Sure enough. Wonder how much the invasive exotic bounty affects populations, migration etc.