Psychotria nervosa

Sw.

Wild coffee, St. John's bush

Rubiaceae Edible: Seeds - coffee, Fruit, Leaves - tea 11,204 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Psychotria nervosa, also known as Seminole balsamo or wild coffee, is a shade tolerant medium-sized shrub native to Florida as well as the West Indies and Central and South America. It produces a "small, red, ellipsoid fruit" that resembles "the true coffee bean" in shape and attract birds. Its maximum height ranges from approximately 4–10 feet. Despite its common name of wild coffee, this species is not known to contain any caffeine. In recounting anecdotes from others, the Florida ethnobotanist, Dan Austin, reported that the use of the seeds as a coffee substitute resulted in "only bad taste and terrible headaches." A similar account reported no known usage as a coffee substitute in Jamaica and noted the morphological similarity of its seed to coffee, the more likely reason for its common name being wild coffee. Reports of DMT in this species are also unsubstantiated.

Description

An evergreen shrub. It grows 1-4 m tall. The fruit are bright red and 6-8 mm long.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The bright red fruits are eaten raw. The seeds are roasted as a coffee substitute. The leaves are used to make tea.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw. The seeds are roasted and used as a substitute for coffee. The leaves are used for tea.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in damp forest in the lowlands. It grows up to 1,200 m above sea level. It is best in an alkaline well-drained soil.

Where It Grows

Bahamas, Belize, Central America, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Mexico, North America, South America, Trinidad, USA, Venezuela, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants can be pruned and grown as a hedge.

Other Uses

Plants respond to trimming and can be grown as a medium-sized hedge.

Production

Plants can flower and fruit all year round.

Synonyms

Myrstiphyllum undatum (Jacq.) Hitchc.Psychotria elongata Benth.Psychotria fadyenii Urb.Psychotria hirsuta Spreng. non Sw.Psychotria hirta KunthPsychotria lanceolata Nutt.Psychotria nervosa ssp. rufescens (Kunth) Steyerm.and others

Also Known As

Cachimbo, Cafe cimarron, Chacrona, Chacruna, Plateado, Seminole balsam, Shiny-leaved wild coffee

References (7)

Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 213
Ferns, Useful Tropical Plants
Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)
Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 551
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 725

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