Rauvolfia vomitoria

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Rauvolfia vomitoria

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1
)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Rauvolfia
Species:
R. vomitoria
Binomial name
Rauvolfia vomitoria
Afzel., 1817[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Rauvolfia congolana De Wild. & T.Durand
  • Rauvolfia pleiosiadica K.Schum.
  • Rauvolfia senegambiae DC.
  • Rauvolfia stuhlmannii K.Schum.

Rauvolfia vomitoria, the poison devil's-pepper,[3] is a plant species in the genus Rauvolfia. It is native from Senegal east to Sudan and Tanzania, south to Angola; and naturalized in China, Bangladesh, different ranges of Himalayan and Puerto Rico.[4] The plant contains a number of compounds of interest to the pharmaceutical industry and is widely used in traditional medicine.

Description

Rauvolfia vomitoria is a small tree or large shrub, growing to 8 m (26 ft) high. The branches grow in whorls, and the leaves grow from swollen nodes in groups of three. The leaf blades are broadly lanceolate or elliptical, tapering to a long point. The small, fragrant flowers are followed by globular red fruit. All parts of the plant, except the mature wood, contain latex.[5][6]

Ecology

This is a fast-growing tree that produces large quantities of seeds which are dispersed by birds. The seedlings and saplings are tolerant of shade and the tree regenerates after cutting or burning, soon forming dense thickets.[6]

Rauvolfia vomitoria has been identified as an invasive species in the Hawaiian island of Oahu.[6]

Uses

Rauvolfia vomitoria has been used across its range in

emetic.[5]

Every part of the tree is toxic,[7] and this is put to use with a paste made from the pulverized root being coated on arrow tips and spears for hunting, and by being mixed with cassava meal to make rat poison.[8]

The plant contains a number of

reserpinine, deserpidine, ajmalicine, and ajmaline. In the 1970s, the bark from stems and roots was harvested from which reserpine was extracted and sold for human use. Reserpine is still available, but has been largely replaced by less toxic products.[8]
2,6-Dimethoxybenzoquinone is a benzoquinone found in R. vomitoria.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Subordinate Taxa of Rauvolfia L". TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
  2. ^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 19 November 2016
  3. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Rauvolfia vomitoria". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  4. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-94-024-1120-1
    .
  6. ^ a b c Invasive Species Fact Sheet 16, Pacific Islands Area, Poison devil's-pepper (Rauvolfia vomitoria) (PDF), Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2011, retrieved 19 November 2016
  7. ^ "Eyes and Ears Network". Kohala Center Newsletter. November 2010. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014.
  8. ^ a b Fern, Ken (13 June 2019). "Rauvolfia vomitoria". Useful Tropical Plants Database. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  9. PMID 13853494
    .

External links
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