Description

Callicarpa americana (Lamiaceae), the American beautyberry, is a native shrub of the Southern United States. Lamiaceae are the sixth largest family of flowering plants and include many species grown for use as culinary herbs, food additives and flavorings, pharmaceuticals and health-promoting activities, feline euphoria induction, wood, fragrance, insect repellents, and ornamentals. This diverse set of uses for Lamiaceae is due in part to their production of specialized metabolites, primarily terpenes (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes) and iridoids (irregular terpenes).