Snow Berry

Title

Snow Berry

Authors

Ethan H. Freid

Scientific Name

Chiococca alba (L.) Hitchc.

Description

Common Names

Snow Berry, Snake Root, Pissabed, Rat Root

Rubiaceae

Habit

Chioccoca alba grows as a trailing, sometimes climbing, shrub to 3 meters in height. The leaves are arranged alternately, ovate to lanceolate, to 12 cm in length, with an acute leaf apex and an entire margin. The stipules are small and lance-shaped.

The actinomorphic flowers are arranged in panicles. The calyx has 5 unfused sepals. The corolla has 5 fused, yellow/white petals. There are 5 stamens. The ovary is inferior with 2 locules. The fruit is a berry that is white at maturity.

Chioccoca alba grows as an understory shrub in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation- Forest/Woodland/Shrubland/Dwarf Shrublands (all coppice types).

Distribution in Bahamas/Globally

Chioccoca alba occurs on all island groupings in the Bahamian Archipelago as well as the southern United States, the Caribbean region and Central America.

Chioccoca alba is used in the Bahamas for general strengthening teas, and to treat bed wetting, and tuberculosis.

Elsewhere in the Caribbean it is used for strengthening teas, gastrointestinal issues (gas, indigestion), pain (menstrual cramps, rheumatism), and dermatological problems (acne).