Palicourea sessilis

Palicourea sessilis is a Neotropical shrub or small understorey treelet of the madder family (Rubiaceae), members of which typify the rainforest understorey of Central and South America. The species was originally described from collections made in the moist forests of northern South America. It generally grows to 1–4 m in height, with slender, glabrous to lightly pubescent branchlets and characteristic interpetiolar stipules at the nodes. Leaves are opposite, simple, elliptic to oblanceolate, with entire margins and prominent venation, the sessile or subsessile attachment giving the species its epithet. Small tubular flowers, often yellow, orange, or red, are borne in terminal panicles with brightly coloured peduncles and bracts that attract hummingbird pollinators typical of the genus. The fruit is a small drupe ripening blue to purple-black, dispersed by understorey birds. Like many Palicourea the species is known to contain pyridine and indole alkaloids.