Rauvolfia caffra

Rauvolfia caffra
Rauvolfia caffra

Common names: quinine tree (English). 
Botanical name: Rauvolfia caffra

The quinine tree, Rauvolfia caffra, is a fast-growing evergreen tree with a roundish crown and a straight, tall stem. It has shiny green leaves in whorls, small white flowers in terminal sprays, and fleshy black fruits in large clusters. The flowers attract butterflies and insects, which are pollinated by insect-eating birds. The fruits are eaten by vervet monkeys. The bark, latex, and alkaloids of the tree have various medicinal uses, such as treating wounds, coughs, diarrhoea, high blood pressure, and mental disorders. The wood is used for drums, furniture, and fruit boxes. The quinine tree is easily grown from seed and prefers moist, fertile soil and sheltered locations. It is a decorative shade tree for larger gardens and parks.

Uses & Benefits: medicine, ponds & ecopools, wetlands

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Nature & Cultivation

Family: Apocynaceae
Type: tree
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Flower colour: white
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Plant-animal interactions: bees, birds, butterflies
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Use as Medicine

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