Rauvolfia verticillata

(Lour.) Baill.

Apocynaceae

The generic name is often mis-spelt as Rauwolfia[

Title: Plants for a Future
Author: Ken Fern
Description: Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

+ Synonyms

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 loheri Merr.

Rauvolfia major (Hassk.) G.Nicholson

Rauvolfia membranacea Merr.

Rauvolfia obversa Koord.

Rauvolfia ophiorrhizoides (Kurz) Kerr

Rauvolfia perakensis King & Gamble

Rauvolfia superaxillaris P.T.Li & S.Z.Huang

Rauvolfia taiwanensis Tsiang

Rauvolfia yunnanensis Tsiang

Tabernaemontana cylindrica Steud.

Tabernaemontana densiflora Wall.

Tabernaemontana microcarpa Wall.

Tabernaemontana ophiorrhizoides Kurz

Tabernaemontana parviflora B.Heyne ex Wall.

Tabernaemontana subcapitata Hook.f. & Thomson

Tabernaemontana wallichiana Steud.

Common Name:

Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Kai Yan, Joseph Wong

General Information

Rauvolfia verticillata is an erect shrub growing up to 3 metres tall.
The plant is gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

Although we have seen no specific information for this species, most if not all members of this genus contain poisonous alkaloids[

Title: Plants for a Future
Author: Ken Fern
Description: Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

Botanical References

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Habitat

Lowland, montane rain forests, monsoon forests, brush fields, river banks, rice fields, seashores; at elevations from near sea level to 1,700 metres in southern China[

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used in the treatment of malaria, and typhus[

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

].

The fresh leaves are applied externally to treat snake bites, wounds and inflamed eyes[

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

].

The roots are sedative[

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

]. They are used to treat hypertension[

266

Title: Flora of China
Publication
Author
Website: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year: 1994
ISBN
Description: An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

].
The roots have been used as an adulterant for R. Serpentina[

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.

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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