About Nertera granadensis var. granadensis
Nertera granadensis var. granadensis, commonly called coral bead plant, pin-cushion plant, coral moss, or English baby tears, is a member of the Rubiaceae family in the genus Nertera that produces orange berries. It has an unusually extensive transcontinental distribution surrounding the Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from southern Chile and western Argentina north to Guatemala, and it also grows in Hawaii, New Zealand, eastern Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the Juan Fernández Islands. This unusually wide distribution may be the result of its cultivation as ground cover. In tropical biomes of the western Pacific, Nertera granadensis only grows at high altitudes. This species is grown as an ornamental garden plant. In Mapudungun and Chilean Spanish, it is called rucachucao. Its scientific 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 symptoms of poisoning including tiredness, stomach pains, and vomiting.
