Apocynaceae FAMILY

Cryptostegia grandiflora

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

1/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains glucosides that interfere with heart function; ingestion will also provoke stomach and intestinal upset[ 372 Title Flowers of India Publication Author Website http://www.flowersofindia.net/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars. ]. In Madagascar the plant has reportedly been used for criminal purposes and as a poison for vermin. The powdered leaves, mixed with water, when swallowed can cause persistent vomiting after half an hour; followed by death within 15 hours[ 360 Title Philippine Medicinal Plants Publication Author Website http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant. ]. Although Cryptostegia grandiflora is highly poisonous, it is extremely unpalatable and thus grazing animals usually avoid it[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].

Botanical Description

Cryptostegia grandiflora is an evergreen climbing shrub, scrambling over the ground and climbing into nearby plants, supporting itself by means of its slender, twining stems. Older plants can climb 20 - 30 metres into the forest canopy[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant has, in the past, been utilized and occasionally cultivated, for the fibre and latex that can be obtained from the stems[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description 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. , 302 Title Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide Publication Author Whistler. W. Arthur. Publisher Timber Press Inc. Oregon. Year 2000 ISBN 0-88192-448-2 Description An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses. ]. Since the advent of synthetic rubber it is no longer considered to be of value. The plant is often cultivated as an ornamental in tropical areas, valued especially for its large, showy flowers[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description 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. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeAfrica - southern and southwestern Madagascar.

HabitatGrowing into the canopy of riverine forests, it is also found as a sprawling shrub along gullies, creeks, as well as disturbed areas such as roadside ditches where run-off water accumulates, around waterholes and at the edge of coastal salt marshes[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]