rauwolfia

rau·wol·fi·a   (rou-wŏŏl'fē-ə, rô-)    n.  Any of various tropical trees and shrubs of the genus Rauvolfia, especially R. serpentina, of southeast Asia, the root of which is the source of tranquilizing alkaloid drugs such as reserpine. [Variant of New Latin Rauvolfia, genus name, after Leonhard Rauwolf (1535-1596), German botanist.]

Main Entry: rau·wol·fia
Pronunciation: rau-'wul-fE-&, ro-
Function: noun
1 a capitalized : a large tropical genus of thedogbane family (Apocynaceae) of somewhat poisonous trees and shrubs yielding emetic and purgative substances b : any plant of the genus Rauwolfia
2 : amedicinal extract from the root of an Indian rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina) used in the treatment of hypertension and mental disorders
Rauáwolf /'rau-"volf/,Leonhard (1535–1596), German botanist. Rauwolf is famous for his botanical studies in the Middle East. He began his outstanding collection of dried plants with specimens fromsouthern France, Switzerland, and northern Italy. Then from 1573 to 1576 he traveled extensively in the Middle East to collect more specimens for his herbarium with the intention of exploring thepotential of the local plants for their use as drugs. In 1582 he published an account of his travels and descriptions of the plants that he had collected. In 1703 the botanist Charles Plumier named thegenus Rauwolfia in his honor.