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Useful Tropical Plants

Dorstenia brasiliensis

Lam.

Moraceae

+ Synonyms

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

Dorstenia brasiliensis
Flowers
Photograph by: Amrum
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
Dorstenia brasiliensis Dorstenia brasiliensis Dorstenia brasiliensis

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 *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height0.20 m
Cultivation StatusWild

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.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dorstenia+brasiliensis>

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