Rauvolfia verticillata

Rauvolfia verticillata
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
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 (Lour.) Baill. [2]
Synonyms [2]
List Dissolena verticillataLour. Ophioxylon chinenseHance Rauvolfia chinensis(Hance) Hemsl. Cerbera chinensisSpreng. Ervatamia ophiorhizoides(Kurz) Lace Ervatamia ventiiLý Hunteria sundanaMiq. Hunteria sundana var. minorMiq. Ophioxylon belgaumenseWight Ophioxylon densiflorum(Wall.) Thwaites Ophioxylon macrocarpumWight Ophioxylon majusHassk. Ophioxylon neilgheerenseWight Ophioxylon zeylanicumWight Rauvolfia altodisciferaR.H.Miao Rauvolfia brevistylaTsiang Rauvolfia densiflora(Wall.) Benth. ex Hook.f. Rauvolfia densiflora var. macrophyllaHook.f. Rauvolfia latifronsTsiang Rauvolfia loheriMerr. Rauvolfia major(Hassk.) G.Nicholson Rauvolfia membranaceaMerr. Rauvolfia obversaKoord. Rauvolfia ophiorrhizoides(Kurz) Kerr Rauvolfia peguanaHook.f. Rauvolfia perakensisKing & Gamble Rauvolfia serpentina var. gracilisStapf Rauvolfia superaxillarisP.T.Li & S.Z.Huang Rauvolfia taiwanensisTsiang Rauvolfia verticillata var. hainanensisTsiang Rauvolfia verticillata var. macrophylla(Hook.f.) Karthik. & Moorthy Rauvolfia verticillata var. oblanceolataTsiang Rauvolfia verticillata var. officinalisTsiang Rauvolfia yunnanensisTsiang Tabernaemontana cylindricaSteud. Tabernaemontana densifloraWall. Tabernaemontana microcarpaWall. Tabernaemontana ophiorrhizoidesKurz Tabernaemontana parvifloraB.Heyne ex Wall. Tabernaemontana subcapitataHook.f. & Thomson Tabernaemontana wallichianaSteud.

Rauvolfia verticillata, the common devil pepper, ^[3] is a plant in the family Apocynaceae. The specific epithet verticillata means 'whorled' and refers to the plant's leaves. ^[4]

Description

Rauvolfia verticillata grows as a shrub or small tree, up to 5 m (16 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 in shape, measuring up to 1.4 cm (0.6 in) long. ^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Rauvolfia verticillata is native to China, Taiwan and tropical Asia from India east to the Philippines. It grows in a variety of habitats, including forests and savannas, from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) altitude. ^{[1] [4]}

Uses

Rauvolfia verticillata is used in traditional Chinese medicine, including as a treatment for snakebite, malaria, typhus and hypertension. ^[5] The root may be locally used as a sedative and the leaves are used in the treatment of wounds. ^[1]

Conservation

Rauvolfia verticillata has been assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened by deforestation and by conversion of its habitat for agriculture and urban development. The species is present in a number of protected areas. ^[1]

References

1. de Kok, R. (2024). "Rauvolfia verticillata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2024: e.T191069A1968877. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
2. "Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 20 October 2024.
3. "Taxonomy - Rauvolfia verticillata". UniProt . Retrieved 13 June 2018.
4. 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). Vol. 5. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 49–50. ISBN   983-2181-59-3 . Retrieved 9 August 2013.
5. "Rauvolfia verticillata". eFloras. Retrieved 9 August 2013.