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Useful Tropical Plants

Psychotria poeppigiana

Müll.Arg.

Rubiaceae

+ Synonyms

Cephaelis barcellana Müll.Arg.

Cephaelis tomentosa (Aubl.) Vahl

Common Name: Sore Mouth Bush

Psychotria poeppigiana
The common name for this plant is 'Hot Lips' - the photo says it all.
Photograph by: Andreas Kay
Creative Commons License
Psychotria poeppigiana Psychotria poeppigiana Psychotria poeppigiana Psychotria poeppigiana Psychotria poeppigiana

General Information

Sore mouth bush is an evergreen shrub or subshrub usually growing 0.7 - 3 metres tall, but occasionally to 6 metres[
369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
]. It has a very distinctive flower that has earned it the common name of 'hot lips'.
The plant is gathered from the wild for local medicinal use. Its distinctive flower has earned it a place in the ornamental garden.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

369
Title
Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1938
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.

Range

S. America - Argentina, Brazil, north to the Guyanas, through Central America to Mexico.

Habitat

Wet, very wet and cloud forests, usually on forest edges and along the sides of trails, at low to medium elevations[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
]. Usually found on poor soils in open forest.

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height0.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the crushed, boiled plant is used as a wash for treating headaches, sprains, contusions, rheumatism and muscular pains[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The rasped stem bark is rubbed on a certain type of skin rash, known locally as 'poispoisi' by the Wayana of Surinam[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The sap from the red flower bracts is used as ear drops to treat ear ache[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The flowers are used to treat colds and coughs. They are included in an antitussive decoction to treat whooping cough[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The leaves are used to treat coughs and colds[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Psychotria+poeppigiana>

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