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PLANTS>>Flowering Plants>>Angiosperms (Magnoliophyta)>>Dicotyledons (Magnoliopsida)>>Asteridae>>Gentianales>>Apocynaceae>>Rauvolfia>>Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz>>
Taxon ID: [450], Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz
Taxonomy Ecology Uses Market Conservation and Management References
Family Name

Apocynaceae

Taxon Name:

Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz.

Forest Fl. Burma 2: 171 (1877), A.O. Chater in Enum. Fl. Pl. Nepal 3: 84 (1982).

 
Synonyms:

Ophioxylon serpentinum L.

English Name(s):

Serpentine, Serpentina root, Serpentine root, Rauwolfia

 

Sanskrit Name(s):

Sarpagandha, Bhujangaksi, Chandramar, Chundrika, Nakula, Nakulestha, Sarpangi.

 

Common Nepali Name(s):

Sarpagandha, Chandmaruwa, Dhaulebir

Vernacular Name(s):

Chyarangro (Chepang), Dharmaruwa (Darai), Baruwa, Dhaldhaliya, Pagalbuti (Tharu), God (Satar)

Other Name(s):

Chandra (Bengali), Asrol, Chandrabhaga, Chandmaruwa, Chhota Chand, Hadaki (Hindi), Indo Jyaboku (Japanese)

Trade Name(s):

Rauwolfia, Sarpagandha

Life form/Habit:

A small erect or sub-erect perennial under-shrub.

Habitat:

Moist and shady places.

Description:

Small evergreen under-shrub, 0.2-1(-2) m tall, bark pale brown, rarely lenticellate. Leaves condensed near top of stems in whorls of (2-) 3-4, rarely opposite, elliptic-lanceolate to obovate, 7-13(-17) x 2.8-6.5(-9) cm, apex acuminate to acute, base cuneate sometimes attenuate, dark green above, paler below. Inflorescence cymose, sometimes paniculate. Flowers many, salver-shaped, white or pinkish, tube often mauve or red. Peduncles long, 4-9 cm, stout; pedicels very short. Calyx lobes triangular-lanceolate, 1-2(-3) mm long. Corolla tube slender, often curved, inflated slightly just above middle, 10-19 mm; lobes obovate, 3-4 x 3 mm. Stamens subsessile, free from stigma. Ovary of 2 distinct or fused carpels, each with 2 ovules. Fruit drupaceous, black, surface smooth, solitary or more often in a conspicuously fused bifid pair. Seeds ovoid, glabrous, without wings 34.

Macroscopic characters:

Root is broad and rarely branched. Outer surface is yellowish with longitudinal ridges, fractures short123. Outer layer is creamy brown in colour with inner yellowish solid layer37.

Chromosome number:

(2n = 22)145, 24, 44)2

Phenology:

Flowering: May - July                              

Fruiting: July - September
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