Psychotria carthagenensis

Psychotria carthagenensis is an evergreen understorey shrub or small tree of the coffee family (Rubiaceae), widely distributed across the Neotropics from southern Mexico through Central America, the Caribbean, and the Amazon basin into northern Argentina. It typically reaches 2–6 m in height, with slender, opposite-branched stems and smooth, pale grey bark. The opposite leaves are elliptic to oblanceolate, 8–20 cm long and 3–8 cm wide, with a glossy dark green upper surface, prominent secondary venation, and conspicuous interpetiolar stipules characteristic of Rubiaceae. Small, fragrant, tubular white flowers, about 4–6 mm long, are clustered in compound, branched, terminal cymes; flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year in equatorial regions. The fruit is a small, two-seeded drupe that ripens from green through red to deep purplish-black. The species inhabits humid lowland and premontane rainforests, gallery forests, and forest margins from sea level to about 1,500 m elevation.