Biology:Strophanthus hispidus

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Short description: Species of plant

Strophanthus hispidus
Strophanthus hispidus - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-131.jpg
Strophanthus hispidus [1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Strophanthus
Species:
S. hispidus
Binomial name
Strophanthus hispidus
Synonyms[3]
  • Strophanthus hirtus Poir.
  • Strophanthus bariba Boye & Bereni
  • Strophanthus tchabe Boye & Bereni
  • Strophanthus thierryanus K.Schum. & Gilg

Strophanthus hispidus, the hispid strophanthus, (family: Apocynaceae)[4] is a liana or shrub that can grow up to 5 metres (16 ft) tall. Its flowers feature a yellow corolla and yellow corona lobes spotted with red, purple or brown.[5] The seeds, like those of several other Strophanthus species, contain potent cardiac glycosides (notably strophanthin) absorbable through wounds - hence its use in African arrow poisons and later in modern medicine as a digitalis-like heart stimulant.[6] Strophanthus hispidus is native from west tropical Africa east to Tanzania and south to Angola. It is naturalized in China.[3]

History of discovery

The plant was observed for the first time in Senegambia by a certain monsieur Houdelot, then in Sierra Leone between 1771 and 1775 by Henry Smeathman, likewise in Nigeria (in use among the Nupe) by William Balfour Baikie, in Gabon by Marie-Théophile Griffon du Bellay and in West Tropical Africa by Gustav Mann.[7]

References

  1. Illustration from Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen by the publisher Franz Eugen Köhler, Gera 1887.
  2. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Strophanthus hispidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T144291076A149026064. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T144291076A149026064.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/144291076/149026064. Retrieved 20 November 2021. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Strophanthus hispidus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://wcsp.science.kew.org/namedetail.do?name_id=198235. 
  4. "Strophanthus hispidus". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=STHI5. Retrieved 4 December 2015. 
  5. "Strophanthus hispidus". eFloras. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200018469. 
  6. "Definition of inee". Webster's International Dictionary. 1913. http://websters.wunderdictionary.com/dictionary/def/english/inee.html. 
  7. Séance du 27 janvier 1877 – Communication de M. Hardy - Bulletin de la Société philomatique de Paris – Seventh series, volume I – 1876-1877, page 34.

Wikidata ☰ Q1021168 entry