Rauvolfia verticillata

Rauvolfia verticillata, the common devil pepper,[2] is a plant in the family Apocynaceae. The specific epithet verticillata means "whorled" and refers to the plant's leaves.[3]

Rauvolfia verticillata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Rauvolfia
Species:
R. verticillata
Binomial name
Rauvolfia verticillata
Synonyms[1]

Description

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. The fruits are whitish purple when ripe, ovoid, up to 1.4 cm (1 in) long.[3]

Distribution and habitat

Rauvolfia verticillata is native to China and tropical Asia from India to the Philippines. It grows in a variety of habitats, from sea-level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) altitude.[3]

Uses

Rauvolfia verticillata is used in traditional Chinese medicine, including as a treatment for snakebite, malaria, typhus and hypertension.[4]

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References
  1. "Rauvolfia verticillata". The Plant List. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  2. "Taxonomy - Rauvolfia verticillata". UniProt. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  3. Middleton, David J. (September 2004). "Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill." (PDF). In Soepadmo, E.; Saw, L. G.; Chung, R. C. K. (eds.). 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.
  4. "Rauvolfia verticillata". eFloras. Retrieved 9 August 2013.


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