Miconia minutiflora

Native from Mexico through tropical America and parts of the Caribbean, this shrub or small tree grows in moist tropical forests. It can reach about twenty-six feet tall. Numerous tiny white flowers form large branching clusters at the ends of the branches, with pale stamens projecting beyond the five petals. Small fleshy fruits ripen purple. Its fruits feed many birds, including tanagers, which disperse the seeds. It reaches reproductive maturity early and is useful in forest restoration plantings that attract wildlife. Photographed in Colombia.