Strychnos colubrina
Strychnos colubrina
Safety & Hazards
Various parts of Strychnos plants, especially the seeds and bark, contain toxic alkaloids such as strychnine and brucine. The fleshy pulp of the ripe fruits, however, is often edible[ 500 Title Flora of Somalia Publication Author Thulin M. (Editor) Publisher Kew Publishing, London. Year 1993 ISBN Description Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses. ]. A decoction of the wood, bark and roots is used as a poison for arrows[ 451 Title Flora Malesiana Series 1 Publication Author Various Website http://www.archive.org Publisher Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch Year 0 ISBN Description A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet ].
Botanical Description
Strychnos colubrina is usually a climbing shrub, climbing high into surrounding trees, though there are reports that it can itself sometimes become somewhat tree-like[ 451 Title Flora Malesiana Series 1 Publication Author Various Website http://www.archive.org Publisher Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch Year 0 ISBN Description A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet ]. It attaches itself to other plants for support by means of tendrils. The stems can be of great size, often 20 - 30cm in diameter[ 460 Title Flora Medica Publication Author Lindley J. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London Year 1838 ISBN Description A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information. ]. The plant is commonly gathered from the wild for local medicinal use, and is often sold in local markets. It is particularly valued as an antidote to snake bites.