Dorstenia brasiliensis
Lam.
Moraceae
Dorstenia amazonica Carauta, C.Valente & O.M.Barth
Dorstenia heringeri Carauta & Valente
Dorstenia infundibuliformis Lodd.
Dorstenia montana Herzog
Dorstenia montevidensis Field. & G.A.Gardner
Dorstenia pernambucana Arruda
Dorstenia placentoides Comm. ex Lam.
Dorstenia sabanensis Cuatrec.
Dorstenia schulzii Carauta. C.Valente & Dunn de Arau
Dorstenia tomentosa Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
Dorstenia tubicina Ruiz & Pav.
Dorstenia vilella Paiva
Common Name: Contrayerva
Flowers
Photograph by: Amrum
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
Flowers
Photograph by: Amrum
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Amrum
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
Developing fruits amongst the flowers
Photograph by: Amrum
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
General Information
Dorstenia brasiliensis is a small, evergreen perennial plant with distinctly veined leaves and small basket-shaped flowers, growing less than 20cm tall[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The strongly aromatic rhizomes are often harvested from the wild and used in herbal medicine in S. America[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
S. America - Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad and Tobago.
Habitat
Rainforest[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
| Height | 0.20 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a position in a well-drained soil with some sun[
385- Title
- Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. Prefers a moist, humus-rich, fertile soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The rhizome is anodyne, antiinflammatory, antimalarial, antitussive, astringent, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, purgative, stimulant and tonic[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
It is used as a remedy for fevers, diarrhoea and dysentery, skin problems, ear aches and ear infections, anaemia, menstrual problems, high blood pressure, cystitis, malaria, upper respiratory problems, and digestive disorders[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The crushed fresh rhizome is taken internally for treating snake bites[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Externally, the crushed fresh rhizome is put on snakebites; poisonous insect bites; and is used as a poultice on broken bones[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
The root is a rich source of diverse flavonoids (flavanones, flavones, flavans, flavonols and chalcones). In addition it also contains alkaloids, coumarins, saponins, sterols, and tannins[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Two triterpenoids called dorstenic acid A and B, were found in the root and documented with moderate cytotoxicity against leukaemia cells (L-1210 and HL-60)[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Research has also documented the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of the root[
318- Title
- Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
Plants can be used as groundcover in shady positions[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - germinates well at a temperature of 16 - 21°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Division.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
