Strychnos guianensis
Strychnos guianensis
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. ]. The bark is a principle source of 'Curare', an arrow poison produced in the jungles of the Amazon. Curare has a number of applications in modern medicine[ 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. ].
Botanical Description
Strychnos guianensis is a climbing shrub, producing stems that can be up to 40 metres long. It can grow into the canopy of the rainforest where it supports itself by means of tendrils[ 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. , 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. ]. This species is one of the main sources of curare, the arrow poison commonly used in the Amazon[ 348 Title Medicinal Plants of the Guianas Publication Author DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J. Website http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html Publisher Smithsonian Museum Year 0 ISBN Description A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region ]. Curare also has a number of uses in modern medicine.