Bandicoot Berry (Leea nova-guineensis)

FamilyVitaceae
Scientific nameLeea nova-guineensis
Common name (English)Bandicoot Berry
Common name (Malay)/
Identified asPioneer plant on Project M.A.R.S.’s land

Leea nova-guineensis, commonly called bandicoot berry or Hawaiian holly, is a leafy shrub native to tropical Asia, thriving in forest edges, thickets, and shaded lowland habitats. It is common in undergrowth of secondary and disturbed evergreen forests in Indomalaya, Indochina, and throughout in the Western Ghats of India. Known for its large, glossy, compound leaves and dense clusters of small greenish-white flowers, the plant is frequently found in traditional gardens and hedgerows.