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(Last Modified On 3/21/2013)
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(Last Modified On 3/21/2013)
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Genus
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Strychnos L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Sp. PI. 189, 1753
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Reference
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Gen. PI. ed. 5, 86, 1754.
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Description
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Lianas or scandent shrubs, sometimes of considerable length, typically with coiled tendrils, sometimes also with spines, the branches opposite. Leaves op- posite, sessile or petiolate, the petioles connected by stipular lines (well-developed stipules usually not present); blades of various shapes, simple, entire, typically 3-5-plinerved, coriaceous or membranous. Inflorescences terminal or axillary or both, basically cymose. Flowers I, 5-merous or less frequently 4-merous, the pedicels 0-5 mm long; calyx-lobes exceeding the calyx-tube or sometimes equal to it, often imbricate basally, broadly ovate to linear; corolla yellow to pale green or white, salverform to virtually rotate, often carnosulous, the tube 0.1-2.5 cm long, the lobes valvate in bud, shorter than or equal to or longer than the corolla- tube, glabrous to very conspicuously pubescent internally; anthers included or exserted, glabrous or pilose, the filaments usually attached to the corolla-tube throughout most of their length; ovary subglobose or ovoid, 2-locular or sometimes 1-locular or incompletely 2-locular, the style unbranched, the stigma small, capitate, slightly 2-lobed. Fruit a berry, ovoid or globose, 1-9 cm in diameter, the shell very hard to somewhat fleshy, the pulp soft; seeds one to many, 0.5-2.5 cm long.
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Habit
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Lianas shrubs
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Distribution
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A tropical and subtropical genus of about 235 species. Representatives occur on every continent but Europe, the greatest percentage of species probably occurring in Africa. Approximately 64 species are known in the New World; five (six?) species occur in Panama.
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Note
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Various species of Strychnos are the source of a large number of physiologically active alkaloids. Seeds of the Asiatic S. nux-vomica L. and S. ignatii Bergius are notable as a source of strychnine and brucine. The bark of a number of American species, including S. toxifera, S. peckii and S. panurensis, is used by South Amer- ican Indians as a main or secondary ingredient of the paralysing Curare arrow poison. Of the three American species mentioned, probably only S. toxifera pro- vides a main ingredient.
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Reference
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Krukoff, B. A. & J. Monachino, The American species of Strychnos. Brittonia 4: 248-322, 1942. Krukoff, B. A., Supplementary notes on the American species of Strychnos. Mem. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 12(2):1-94, 1965.
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Key
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a. Inflorescences terminal. b. Corolla-tube not exceeding the calyx in length; style equal to or shorter than the ovary; puberulence of the branchlets usually not exceeding 0.1 mm in length ...................................... 5. S. nigricans bb. Corolla-tube much longer than the calyx; style at least 3 times the length of the ovary; puberulence of the branchlets considerably exceeding 0.1 mm in length (though sometimes sparse). c. Corolla externally conspicuously hirsute with rufescent trichomes 0.5-3.5 mm long; anthers inserted at the throat of the corolla-tube or with the tips protruding; branchlets conspicuously hirsute with rufescent trichomes 0.5-3.5 mm long; leaf-blades universally pubescent (though sometimes sparsely so) ................................... 2. S. toxifera cc. Corolla externally papillose but glabrous; anthers conspicuously exserted; branchlets rather sparsely pilose with trichomes 0.2-1 mm long; the very sparse pubescence of the leaf-blades confined mainly to the prin- cipal veins and the margin ........................................... 1. S. panamensis aa. Inflorescences axillary. d. Corolla-tube equal to or somewhat shorter than the corolla-lobes; flowers 5-merous; free-portion of filaments 1 mm or more in length and the anthers manifestly exserted; fruit with 1 or 2 seeds ............................ 4. S. panurensis dd. Corolla-tube obviously longer than the corolla-lobes (if approximately equal then the flowers 4-merous); free-portion of filaments obsolete or es- sentially so (less than 0.5 mm long) and the anthers inserted at the throat of the corolla-tube (sometimes with the tips protruding); fruit with numer- ous seeds. e. Flowers 5-mero-us; corolla externally conspicuously short-pubescent with trichomes 0.1-0.4 mm long, the lobes internally densely lanate toward the base and at least sparsely lanate above the middle; calyx-lobes broadly ovate-deltoid; leaf-blades with the inner pair of principal nerves glabrous in the axils ............................... 6. S. peckii ee. Flowers 4-merous; corolla papillose but glabrous externally, the lobes internally bearded at the base but otherwise glabrous; calyx-lobes lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate; leaf-blades frequently barbate in the axils of the inner pair of principal nerves .------------------------------ 3. S. dariensis
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