Anthopterus wardii


Anthopterus wardii, also known as aengue mishito, is a species of neotropical blueberry in the family Ericaceae. It is a small, epiphytic or occasionally terrestrial, scandent, sparsely branched shrub with up to 10 m long branches. The elliptic to ovate-elliptic leaves are 4–10 cm long and 1.5–3.5 cm wide; the androecium consists of 10 stamens. The fruit—a bright purple, smooth, subglobose berry—is edible. Formally described by John [Ball (naturalist)|John Ball] in 1884, the species is native to the tropical lowland and montane forests of Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. The IUCN conservation status is least concern, and it is uncommon in cultivation.