Menispermaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Abuta imene

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

1/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant is poisonous. The bark is one of the main ingredients used to produce the poison 'curare' in the Amazon region of Japurá and the Negro River[ 461 Title Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil Publication Author Correa M.P. Publisher Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro Year 1926 ISBN Description A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants. ]. Various parts of the plant contain 'cocculin', an odourless, bitter-tasting, toxic alkaloid. This alkaloid slows the heart rate; causes an almost complete paralysis of the voluntarily muscles; produces tetanus-like convulsions; and death[ 461 Title Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil Publication Author Correa M.P. Publisher Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro Year 1926 ISBN Description A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants. ].

Botanical Description

Abuta imene is a high-climbing shrub, twining into the surrounding vegetation for support.. The plant is harvested from the wiuld for local use as a medicine and dye plant. Abuta imene 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(2020)[ 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 - northwest Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

HabitatSlopes in mountain savannah forest[ 422 Title Fruits of the Guianan Flora Publication Author van Roosmalen. M.G.M. Publisher Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. Year 1985 ISBN 90-9000988-4 Description Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat. ].