PlantPeers
Back to Catalog
Brunfelsia uniflora
Solanaceae FAMILY

Brunfelsia uniflora

Brunfelsia uniflora

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

The whole plant contains a very poisonous alkaloid called manacine[1]. It is similar to strychnine in its action[1]. A root extract is used as a constituent of poison on arrows[2].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Grows best in a position with partial shade - when growing in full sun the foliage may scorch and drop[3]. Prefers a loamy, fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil[3]. Many species in this genus grow wild in alkaline soils and, in non-alkaline soils, all members of the genus can benefit from the addition of some ground limestone[3].

Propagation

Seed - it has a short period of viability and does not tolerate dessication. Sown fresh, it germinates within 2 - 4 weeks[4]. Layering[4]. Greenwood cuttings, rooted in sand[3]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Brunfelsia+uniflora>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎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.
  2. [2]Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 25 — Botanical Museum; Massachusetts. · 1977 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Contains an article on medicinal and poisonous plants in the Amazon. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]A Revision of the South American Species of Brunfelsia (Solanaceae) — Plowman T.C. · Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago. · 1998 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN 0015-0746 ↩︎A botanical journal, this edition is devoted entirely to the revision of the genus Brunfelsia in S. America. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  5. [5]Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database — http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm ↩︎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.
  6. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎