Annonaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Unonopsis veneficiorum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains alkaloids, believed to be bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids. It has been used as part of a contraceptive formula, whilst the root and bark of the lower stem are used either as the basis of, or as an admixture to, the arrow poison curare[ 630 Title Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass. Year 1981 ISBN Description An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 762 Title Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 26 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass. Year 1978 ISBN Description A series of botanical leaflets. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The fruit is used as a poison in blowgun darts[ 1783 Title Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador Publication Author de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba Publisher Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific Year 2008 ISBN 978-9978-77-135-8 Description ].

Botanical Description

Unonopsis veneficiorum is a shrub or a tree that usually grows around 1 - 7 metres tall, exceptionally to 15 metres. The trunk can be around 2 - 12cm in diameter[ 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. , 2111 Title Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae) Publication Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007 Author Maas P.J.M. et al Website http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909 Publisher Year 2007 ISBN Description ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. Unonopsis veneficiorum is widespread and known from many collections. There are not thought to be serious threats affecting its survival. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.

HabitatAn understorey plant in dense rain forest at low elevations[ 521 Title Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador. Publication Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15 Author Vickers W.T.; Plowman T. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Field Museum of Natural History; USA. Year 1984 ISBN 0015 - 0746 Description Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. Mainly in non-inundated forests but occasionally in periodically inundated forests, growing on clayey to lateritic soils; at elevations up to 450 metres[ 2111 Title Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae) Publication Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007 Author Maas P.J.M. et al Website http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909 Publisher Year 2007 ISBN Description ].