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Useful Tropical Plants

Rauvolfia media

Pichon

Apocynaceae


The generic name is often mis-spelt as Rauwolfia[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Rauvolfia concolor Pichon

Rauvolfia confertiflora Pichon

Common Name:

Rauvolfia media
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Richard Randrianaivo
Creative Commons License
Rauvolfia media Rauvolfia media Rauvolfia media Rauvolfia media

General Information

Rauvolfia media is a shrub or a tree usually growing up to 10 metres tall, occasionally to 15 metres[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Although poisonous, the plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. It is also used as an adhesive. The bark and roots are the source of compounds for the the pharmaceutical industry. Between 1986 and 1995, about 16.5 tonnes per year were exported to Europe[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].
Although not currently evaluated for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013), because of the rapid destruction of the forests in which it occurs and harvesting for local use and export, the plant may become rare and locally threatened.

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are very bitter and are considered very toxic[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The crushed roots or a decoction of the roots and bark, mixed with food, are used to poison dogs with rabies and also pest animals[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].

Botanical References

455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.

Range

Africa - western and southern Madagascar, Comoros.

Habitat

Dry forest and savannah, at elevations from sea-level up to 800 metres[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height6.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Prefers sand and sandstone soils in the wild[
455
Title
Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
Publication
 
Author
Humbert H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
Year
1946 - 1984
ISBN
 
Description
Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark of young twigs and the leaves are crushed and applied to the eyes to cure viral conjunctivitis[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

The bark and roots contain several monomeric indole alkaloids, of which reserpiline is pharmacologically active. It has sympatholytic and hypotensive properties, with no noticeable depressant effects on the central nervous system. In comparison with reserpine, which is present in other Rauvolfia spp., reserpiline does not induce the formation of gastric ulcers, has no laxative effects and lacks other side effects. The compound is used in quantity in the the pharmaceutical industry[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

The latex can be used as glue for small utensils[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Rauvolfia+media>

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