About Duranta mutisii L.f.
Duranta mutisii L.f. is a shrub that can grow up to 8 meters tall. It has more or less dense foliage, an irregular crown, abundant branching, and subquadrangular branches. Its leaves are simple and arranged oppositely, with entire margins, a smooth leathery texture, an acute apex, and a cuneate base. The leaves have no stipules and produce no exudate. Opposite curved spines are present on the plant. Its flowers are light blue and tubular, grouped in axillary cluster-shaped inflorescences. The fruits are yellow, round, and apiculated, with yellow pulp, and each fruit contains a single seed. This species is distributed in South America, between 1800 and 3000 meters above sea level, and can be found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It acts as a food source for a wide diversity of native fauna: its flowers and fruits feed insects and birds, and its leaves are eaten by many types of larvae, including the silk-producing larvae of Rothschildia aricia. The plant is also used to counteract deforestation, for living fences, and as an ornamental plant in parks.
