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Glite Dictionary
Rauvolfia

Rauvolfia

9.9
A group of tropical plants that are shrubs or small trees, some of which are poisonous
  • noun
  • /ˌrɔːvəlˈfiːə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Rauvolfia
  • Botanists discovered a new variety within the Rauvolfia genus in the Amazon rainforest.

Examples

  • The Rauvolfia plant is known for its medicinal properties.

  • The roots of Rauvolfia plants have long been studied for their medicinal properties.

  • Several species of Rauvolfia are used in traditional medicine for their alkaloid compounds.

  • Many species of Rauvolfia are found in tropical regions.

  • The roots of this Southeast Asian shrub (Rauvolfia serpentine) have long been used as a tranquilizer.

  • The small tree known as Rauvolfia contains compounds that can be poisonous if ingested improperly.

  • Some species of Rauvolfia are found in tropical regions and have been identified for their toxic properties.

Synonyms

genus Rauwolfia
vsRauvolfia
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of tropical shrubs and small trees that are sometimes poisonous and used in medicine

stresses that some species are poisonous rather than their medical use
rauwolfia
vsRauvolfia
  • Specialized
9.9

A small shrub or tree whose roots people use as medicine

emphasizes genus membership and that certain species are poisonous

Surface Forms

Rauvolfia singular
Rauvolfias plural

Etymology

Rauvolfia is the scientific name for a group of tropical shrubs and small trees, and it was given in honor of a German doctor and plant collector, Leonhart Rauwolf. A helpful way to remember it is to think of many plant names as a person's name turned into a plant name, so Rauvolfia keeps Rauwolf's name and now means those plants.