Bocconia frutescens

Native from Mexico to northwestern Argentina and across the Caribbean, this shrub or small tree in the poppy family grows about 20 feet tall. It has large, deeply lobed leaves and small flowers without petals. Its hanging fruit clusters contain capsules with a single black seed partly covered by a red, fleshy aril that attracts birds. The yellow-orange sap has traditionally been used as a dye. In Colombia, it occurs between about 3,900 and 10,500 feet. It has naturalized in Java and is invasive in Hawaii, where dense stands crowd out native forest plants. Photographed in the central Andes of Colombia.