Strychnos
Strychnos
Strychnos (pronunciation: /ˈstrɪknɒs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Loganiaceae. The genus contains about 190 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas, many of which are native to warm tropical regions.
Etymology
The name Strychnos is derived from the Greek word strugnos, which means "hard", in reference to the hard timber and seeds of some species.
Description
Strychnos species are characterized by their opposite leaves, cymose inflorescences, and fruits that are often berry-like. The seeds of many species contain alkaloids, some of which are highly toxic.
Species
There are about 190 species in the genus Strychnos, including:
- Strychnos nux-vomica - The source of the poison strychnine.
- Strychnos ignatii - Known as Saint Ignatius' bean.
- Strychnos spinosa - Known as the spiny monkey orange or Natal orange.
Uses
Many Strychnos species have been used in traditional medicine. For example, Strychnos nux-vomica has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of ailments. However, due to the presence of toxic alkaloids, these plants must be used with caution.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Strychnos
- Wikipedia's article - Strychnos
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski