Symplocos theiformis
(L.f.) Oken
Symplocaceae
Alstonia theiformis L.f.
Praealstonia theiformis (L.f.) Miers
Symplocos alstonia L'Hér.
Common Name: Té de Bogotá
General Information
Symplocos theiformis is an evergreen shrub
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a health-promoting tea and medicine. The tea is said to have commercial possibilities and the plant is being cultivated on a small scale.
Symplocos theiformis 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(2018)[
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
None known
Botanical References
Range
Northern S. America - Colombia
Habitat
Not known
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The leaves are used as a tea substitute[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
]. Infused for 15 minutes, the tea has a good aroma and flavour[
2087- Title
- Plantas Utiles de Colombia 4th Edition
- Publication
-
- Author
- Perez-Arbelaez E.
- Publisher
- Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. A tea made from the leaves is drunk both as a refreshing drink and also for its health promoting properties[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
]. The tea can be used as a substitute for conventional tea (Camellia sinensis)[
2087- Title
- Plantas Utiles de Colombia 4th Edition
- Publication
-
- Author
- Perez-Arbelaez E.
- Publisher
- Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Medicinal
Tha plant has astringent and tonic qualities similar to tea and coffee. It is said to be of help when a person is chilled and threatened with colds[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
