Strychnos minor
| Snakewood | |
|---|---|
| |
| On Mt. Whitfield, Cairns, Queensland | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Loganiaceae |
| Genus: | Strychnos |
| Species: | S. minor
|
| Binomial name | |
| Strychnos minor | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
|
27 synonyms
| |
Strychnos minor, commonly known as snakewood, is a plant in the family Loganiaceae found in tropical areas from India through southeast Asia to New Guinea and Australia. It was first described in 1818.
Description
[edit]Strychnos minor is a woody vine growing up to 12 m (39 ft) long and a stem diameter up to 7 cm (2.8 in). The leaves are simple and arranged in opposite pairs on the stems. They have three conspicuous veins arising from the base of the leaf and numerous lateral veins between them in a ladder-like arrangement. Small flowers about 5 mm (0.2 in) long are produced in the leaf axils and are followed by yellow globular fruit about 2.5 cm (1.0 in) diameter, containing up to four flat pale brown seeds.[4][5][6][7]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was first described by German botanist August Wilhelm Dennstedt in 1818, and published in Schlüssel zum Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, oder dreifaches Register zu diesem Werke.[8]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]This species is native to the following areas:[3]
- Indian subcontinent – India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nicobar Islands
- Indo-China – Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaya
- Malesia – Sumatera, Borneo, Sulawesi, Philippines, Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku
- Papuasia – New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands
- Australia – Northern Territory (Tiwi Islands), Queensland
It inhabits gallery forest and rainforest at altitudes from sea level to about 1,500 m (4,900 ft).[4][5][7] In the Tiwi Islands it is associated with permanent springs and spring-fed water bodies.[6]
Conservation
[edit]This species is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act.[1] In the Northern Territory it is classed as near threatened.[6] As of 21 November 2024[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Species profile—Strychnos minor". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Strychnos minor". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Strychnos minor Dennst". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b Conn, B.J.; Brown, E.A. (2022). "Strychnos minor". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Strychnos minor". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Cowie I, Lewis D, et al. "Strychnos minor". FloraNT, Northern Territory Herbarium. Northern Territory Government, Darwin. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b Padua, L.S. de; Bunyapraphatsara, N.; Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (1999). PROSEA: Medicinal and Poisonous Plants 1. Backhuys. ISBN 978-90-5782-042-7. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Dennstedt, A.W. (1818). Schlüssel zum Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, oder dreifaches Register zu diesem Werke. Weimar: Landes-Industrie-Comptoirs. p. 33. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
External links
[edit]
- View a map of herbarium collections of this species at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility website
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver.com