Rauvolfia micrantha

Rauvolfia micrantha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Rauvolfia
Species: R. micrantha
Binomial name
Rauvolfia micrantha
Hook.f.

Rauvolfia micrantha (small-flowered snakeroot[1]) is a plant that is indigenous to SW India, S Thailand, and Vietnam. It has a woody, shrub-like appearance and attractive flowers.

Distribution and habitat

Rauvolfia micrantha general habitat of plants in the Rauvolfia genus is semi-evergreen and evergreen forest distributed along tropical areas of Asia, Africa, and America. The plant is endemic to the evergreen forest of the Tinnevelly and Travancore hills in the Indian Western Ghats (states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.[2] Flowers and fruits between March and October.[3]

Conservation

Rauvolfia micrantha is a critically endangered plant. The species has scanty distribution in the wild due to habitat degradation, fragmentation of population and narrow environmental niche.[4] Efforts toward its conservation involve cryopreservation of seeds and in-vitro methods.[5] Organogenesisis the standardized protocol for regeneration of R. micrantha in culture. Nodes of the plant are used as explants.[6] Cryopreservation of the seeds has proven to be slightly difficult. The seeds of R. micrantha are of intermediate type and hence require strict conditions during this process.[7]

Morphology, flowers and fruits

The plant is a perennial woody shrub that grows up to 600 m high; branches are slender, glabrous (having no trichomes or "hair"). The leaves are approximately 8–13 cm x 2–5 cm, elliptic, membranous, abruptly acuminate at both ends; petiole 1 cm long.[8][9] Flowers are arranged in axillary long-peduncled congested cymes; sepals are 1.5 mm long, triangular, actue and basely connate. The corolla is colored white with reddish color at throat, and is about 8 mm long, glabrous, with acute ovate lobes. Capsule is 7 mm x 5mm, ovoid acute, and glabrous.[10] Fruits are obliquely ovate and pointed.

Rauvolfia micrantha is related to the snakeroot plant- Rauvolfia serpentine, which is famous for its medicinal properties. However, isoenzyme analysis reveals that it is more closely related to Rauvolfia tetraphylla L.[11]

Reproduction

Flowering reaches its peak in the month of May and anthesis occurs between 5:00am and 8:30am with a peak at 7:00am. Dehiscence occurs between 6:00am and 10:30am on the day of the anthesis. The stigmas are receptive the day before anthesis, however, become increasingly receptive on the day of anthesis.[12] The major insect pollinators included Apis florea (honeybee), Oecophylla smargadina (red ant), Trigona iridipennis (pollen bee) and butterflies such as Pachliopta aristolochaea, Pachliopta hector, Delias eucharis and Euploea core.[13]

Alkaloids

Hairy root induction of the plant is achieved in culture by using infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains.[14]

Other nutrients and chemicals in the plant include phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins and carotenoids. The extracts also had antioxidant properties.[17]

Uses

The plant is used as a substitute for R. serpentina in Ayurvedic practices to treat nervous disorders such as insomnia, insanity etc. (in Kerala, India).

References

  1. ↑ "Taxonomic Information for Rauvolfia Micrantha- Biological Classifications & Names- Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Patil, V.M.; Jayanthi (1997). "Micropropagation of Two Species of Rauvolfia (Apocynaceae)". Current Science 72 (12): 961–965.
  3. ↑ Kulloli, S.K.; Sreekala (2009). "Pollination Ecology of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook.F. (Apocynaceae): A Critically Endangered Medicinal Plant from the Southern Western Ghats". Phytomorphology 59 (3 & 4): 96–101.
  4. ↑ Kulloli, S.K.; Sreekala (2009). "Pollination Ecology of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook.F. (Apocynaceae): A Critically Endangered Medicinal Plant from the Southern Western Ghats". Phytomorphology 59 (3 & 4): 96–101.
  5. ↑ Sudha, G.G.; S. Seeni (1996). "In Vitro Propagation of Rauwolfia Micrantha, a Rare Medicinal Plant". Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 44 (3): 243–248. doi:10.1007/bf00048530.
  6. ↑ Krishnan, Peringattulli Narayanan; S.W. Decruse; R.K. Radha (2011). "Conservation of Medicinal Plants of Western Ghats, India and Its Sustainable Utilization through in Vitro Technology". Plant. In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 41 (1): 110–122.
  7. ↑ Krishnan, Peringattulli Narayanan; S.W. Decruse; R.K. Radha (2011). "Conservation of Medicinal Plants of Western Ghats, India and Its Sustainable Utilization through in Vitro Technology". Plant. In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 41 (1): 110–122.
  8. ↑ "Rauvolfia Micrantha". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Youngken, Heber W. (1954). "Malabar Rauwolfia, Rauwolfia Micrantha Hook.F.". Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 43 (3): 141–143. doi:10.1002/jps.3030430305.
  10. ↑ "Rauvolfia Micrantha". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Nanthini, A. U.; M. Johnson; F.M. Franco; T.R. Malar (2011). "Assessing the Genetic Relationship Between Three Selected Species of Rauvolfia Using Isoenzyme Profiles and Morphological Characters". Journal of Phytology 3 (9): 48–54.
  12. ↑ Kulloli, S.K.; Sreekala (2009). "Pollination Ecology of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook.F. (Apocynaceae): A Critically Endangered Medicinal Plant from the Southern Western Ghats". Phytomorphology 59 (3 & 4): 96–101.
  13. ↑ Kulloli, S.K.; Sreekala (2009). "Pollination Ecology of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook.F. (Apocynaceae): A Critically Endangered Medicinal Plant from the Southern Western Ghats". Phytomorphology 59 (3 & 4): 96–101.
  14. ↑ Sudha, C. G.; Obul Reddy, B.; Ravishankar, G. A.; Seeni, S. (2003). "Production of Ajmalicine and Ajmaline in Hairy Root Cultures of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook F., a Rare and Endemic Medicinal Plant". Biotechnology Letters 25: 631–636. doi:10.1023/A:1023012114628. PMID 12882157.
  15. ↑ Pillay, P.P.; D.S. Rao; S.B. Rao (1960). "Chemical Investigation of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook F.". Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research 19B: 135–137.
  16. ↑ Sudha, C.G.; S. Seeni (2006). "Spontaneous Somatic Embryogenesis on in Vitro Root Segment Cultures of Rauvolfia Micrantha Hook, F.- A Rare Medicinal Plant". In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology- Plant 42 (2): 119–123. doi:10.1079/ivp2005738.
  17. ↑ Nair, Vadakkemuriyil; Rajaram Panneerselvam; Ragupathi Gopi (2012). "Studies on Methanolic Extract of Rauvolfia Species from Southern Western Ghats of India- In Vitro Antioxidant Properties, Characterization of Nutrients and Phytochemicals". Industrial Crops and Products 39: 17–25. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.02.006.
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