About Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce
Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce, commonly called coral bead plant, pin-cushion plant, coral moss, or English baby tears, is a member of the genus Nertera in the Rubiaceae plant family that produces orange berries. This species has an unusually extensive transcontinental distribution surrounding the Pacific Ocean. It grows from southern Chile and western Argentina north to Guatemala, and also grows in Hawaii, New Zealand, eastern Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Taiwan; this broad range may be a result of its cultivation as a ground cover. In tropical biomes of the western Pacific, Nertera granadensis only grows at high altitudes, and it also occurs on the Juan Fernández Islands. Nertera granadensis is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. In Mapudungun and Chilean Spanish, the plant is called rucachucao. Its specific epithet granadensis comes from New Granada, the former name of Colombia. The plant’s brightly colored fruit can be visually attractive to young children and pets. A publication by German scientists recorded that out of 21 confirmed cases of children ingesting this plant, five developed mild poisoning symptoms including tiredness, stomach pains, and vomiting.
