Rauvolfia verticillata

Rauvolfia verticillata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Apocynaceae
Genus:	Rauvolfia
Species:	R. verticillata
Binomial name
Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.
Synonyms[1]
List Cerbera chinensis Spreng. Dissolaena verticillata Lour. Ervatamia ophiorhizoides (Kurz) Lace Ervatamia ventii Lý Hunteria sundana Miq. Ophioxylon belgaumense Wight Ophioxylon chinense Hance Ophioxylon densiflorum (Wall.) Thwaites Ophioxylon macrocarpum Wight Ophioxylon majus Hassk. Ophioxylon neilgheerense Wight Ophioxylon zeylanicum Wight Rauvolfia altodiscifera R.H.Miao Rauvolfia brevistyla Tsiang Rauvolfia cambodiana Pierre ex Pit. Rauvolfia chinensis (Hance) Hemsl. Rauvolfia densiflora (Wall.) Benth. ex Hook.f. Rauvolfia latifrons Tsiang Rauvolfia major (Hassk.) G.Nicholson Rauvolfia membranacea Merr. Rauvolfia ophiorrhizoides (Kurz) Kerr Rauvolfia perakensis King & Gamble Rauvolfia superaxillaris P.T.Li & S.Z.Huang Rauvolfia taiwanensis Tsiang Rauvolfia yunnanensis Tsiang Tabernaemontana densiflora Wall. Tabernaemontana microcarpa Wall. Tabernaemontana ophiorrhizoides Kurz Tabernaemontana subcapitata Hook.f. & Thomson Tabernaemontana wallichiana Steud.

Rauvolfia verticillata grows as a shrub up to 5 metres (20 ft) tall. The bark is yellowish black or brown. Inflorescences bear up to 35 or more flowers. The flowers feature a white or pinkish corolla. Fruits are whitish purple when ripe, ovoid, up to 1.4 cm (1 in) long. The plant is found in a variety of habitats, from sea-level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) altitude. The specific epithet verticillata means "whorled" in Latin and refers to the plant's leaves.^[2] Local medicinal uses in China include as a treatment for snakebite, malaria, typhus and hypertension.^[3] R. verticillata is found in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.^[2][4]

References

1. "Rauvolfia verticillata". The Plant List. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
2. Middleton, David J. (September 2004). "Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill." (PDF). In Soepadmo, E.; Saw, L. G.; Chung, R. C. K. Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions) 5. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 49–50. ISBN 983-2181-59-3. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
3. "Rauvolfia verticillata". eFloras. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
4. "Rauvolfia verticillata". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 9 August 2013.