Abuta imene
(Mart.) Eichler
Menispermaceae
Abuta trinervis (Rusby) Moldenke
Cocculus amazonum Mart. ex Hevberger
Cocculus imene Mart.
Hyperbaena trinervis Rusby
Common Name:
General Information
Abuta imene is a high-climbing shrub, twining into the surrounding vegetation for support..
The plant is harvested from the wiuld for local use as a medicine and dye plant.
Abuta imene has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
The plant is poisonous. The bark is one of the main ingredients used to produce the poison 'curare' in the Amazon region of Japurá and the Negro River[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
Various parts of the plant contain 'cocculin', an odourless, bitter-tasting, toxic alkaloid. This alkaloid slows the heart rate; causes an almost complete paralysis of the voluntarily muscles; produces tetanus-like convulsions; and death[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
Botanical References
422- Title
- Fruits of the Guianan Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
- Publisher
- Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 90-9000988-4
- Description
- Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
Range
S. America - northwest Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.
Habitat
Slopes in mountain savannah forest[
422- Title
- Fruits of the Guianan Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
- Publisher
- Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 90-9000988-4
- Description
- Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Climber |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The root is poisonous and has been used as an emetic[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
The bark is used to treat indeterminate conditions[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
The sap and the seeds are used as a dyestuff[
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
