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Difference between revisions of "Quassia amara - Bitter wood"

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[[File:Quassia amara12.JPG|thumb|right|''Quassia amara'']]
 
[[File:Quassia amara12.JPG|thumb|right|''Quassia amara'']]
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'''Quassia amara''' ('''Amargo, Bitter-ash, Bitter-wood''') is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it. It is used in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.
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==Uses==
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{{Uses|Intestinal parasites}}, {{Uses|Skin parasites}}, {{Uses|Intestinal parasites}}, {{Uses|Amebic infections}}, {{Uses|Malaria}}, {{Uses|Digestive problems}}, {{Uses|Eliminate toxins}}, {{Uses|Liver problems}}.
  
'''Quassia amara''' ('''amargo, bitter-ash, bitter-wood''') is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it: the Surinamese freedman Graman Quassi. Q. amara is used as insecticide, in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.
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==Parts Used==
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{{Parts Used|Wood}}, {{Parts Used|Leaves}}.
  
== Description ==
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==Chemical Composition==
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The main chemicals identified in amargo include: beta-carbolines, beta-sitostenone, beta-sitosterol, dehydroquassins, gallic acid, gentisic acid, hydroxyquassins, isoparain/.<ref name="chemical composition"/>
It is a shrub or rarely a small tree, growing to 3 m tall (rarely 8 m). The leaves are compound and alternate, 15–25 cm long, and pinnate with 3-5 leaflets, the leaf rachis being winged. The flowers are produced in a panicle 15–25 cm long, each flower 2.5-3.5 cm long, bright red on the outside, and white inside. The fruit is a small drupe 1-1.5 cm long.
 
Q. amara is native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Brasil, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname, Colombia, Argentina, French Guiana and Guyana. Q. amara is widely planted outside its native range.
 
  
== Uses ==
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==Common names==
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{{Common names|kn=|ml=|sa=|ta=|te=|hi=|en=}}
*Traditionally, Q. amara is used as a digestive, to treat fever, and against hair parasites (lice, fleas) and Mosquito larvae in ponds (and do not harm the fishes).<ref name="uses"/>
 
*The component Simalikalactone D was identified as an antimalarial. The preparation of a tea out of young leaves is used traditionally in French Guyana.
 
*Extracts of Q. amara wood or bark are also used to flavor soft drinks, aperitifs and bitters which can be added to cocktails or to baked goods.<ref name="uses"/>
 
  
==Common name==
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==Habit==
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{{Habit|Shrub}}
  
* '''English''' -  Bitter-wood
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==Identification==
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===Leaf===
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{{Leaf|Simple|Alternate, Pinnate|Native to Brazil, Bitter Quassia ia a small forest tree, typically with a leaning stem, sometimes multiply-stemmed.}}<ref name="Leaf"/>
  
== References ==
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===Flower===
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{{Flower|Unisexual|15-25 cm long|White||The flowers are produced in a panicle 15-25 cm long, each flower 2.5-3.5 cm long, bright red on the outside, and white inside. They are tubes with a narrow mouth, somewhat wider at the base}}
<references>
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<ref name="uses">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121220110825/http://rainforest-database.com/plants/amargo.htm "Amargo"]</ref>
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===Fruit===
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{{Fruit|||Syncarp (sorosis) The fruit consists of 4-5 berries held together in a red receptacle.|Ovoid|Many}}
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===Other features===
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==List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used==
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==Where to get the saplings==
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==Mode of Propagation==
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{{Propagation|Seeds}}, {{Propagation|Cuttings}}.
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==How to plant/cultivate==
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Seeds and cuttings can be used for propagation of Q. amara. Frost is not tolerated, but the plant is partially drought tolerant. A large amount of indirect light is recommended.
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==Commonly seen growing in areas==
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{{Commonly seen|Tropical area}}, {{Commonly seen|Subtropical area}}, {{Commonly seen|Monsoonal area}}.
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==Photo Gallery==
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<gallery class="left" caption="" widths="140px" heights="140px">
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Bitter wood (Quassia amara) 3.jpg
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Bitter wood (Quassia amara).jpg
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Flower Quassia amara.JPG
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Gardenology-IMG 7914 hunt10aug.jpg
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Gardenology-IMG 7915 hunt10aug.jpg
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Gardenology-IMG 7916 hunt10aug.jpg
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Gardenology-IMG 7917 hunt10aug.jpg
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Gardenology.org-IMG 2043 hunt08sep.jpg
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</gallery>
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==References==
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<references>  
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<ref name="chemical composition">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121220110825/http://rainforest-database.com/plants/amargo.htm Wayback machine]</ref>
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<ref name="Leaf">[http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Bitter%20Quassia.html Morphology]</ref>
 
</references>
 
</references>
  
== External Links ==
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==External Links==
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* [http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Quassia+amara Bitter wood on tropical herbs.info]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quassia_amara Quassia amara - Wikipedia]
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* [https://www.drugs.com/npp/quassia.html Bitter wood on drugs.com]
*[http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Bitter%20Quassia.html "flowersofindia"]
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* [https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Quassia+amara Bitter wood on pfaf.org]
 
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* [https://florafaunaweb.nparks.gov.sg/special-pages/plant-detail.aspx?id=2380 Bitter wood on florafaunaweb.nparks.gov]
 
[[Category:Herbs]]
 
[[Category:Herbs]]
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[[Category:Simaroubaceae]]

Latest revision as of 16:20, 23 July 2020

Quassia amara

Quassia amara (Amargo, Bitter-ash, Bitter-wood) is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it. It is used in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.

Uses

Intestinal parasites, Skin parasites, Intestinal parasites, Amebic infections, Malaria, Digestive problems, Eliminate toxins, Liver problems.

Parts Used

Wood, Leaves.

Chemical Composition

The main chemicals identified in amargo include: beta-carbolines, beta-sitostenone, beta-sitosterol, dehydroquassins, gallic acid, gentisic acid, hydroxyquassins, isoparain/.[1]

Common names

Language Common name
Kannada
Hindi
Malayalam
Tamil
Telugu
Marathi NA
Gujarathi NA
Punjabi NA
Kashmiri NA
Sanskrit
English


Habit

Shrub

Identification

Leaf

Kind Shape Feature
Simple Alternate, Pinnate Native to Brazil, Bitter Quassia ia a small forest tree, typically with a leaning stem, sometimes multiply-stemmed.

[2]

Flower

Type Size Color and composition Stamen More information
Unisexual 15-25 cm long White The flowers are produced in a panicle 15-25 cm long, each flower 2.5-3.5 cm long, bright red on the outside, and white inside. They are tubes with a narrow mouth, somewhat wider at the base

Fruit

Type Size Mass Appearance Seeds More information
Syncarp (sorosis) The fruit consists of 4-5 berries held together in a red receptacle. Ovoid Many {{{6}}}

Other features

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

Where to get the saplings

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Seeds and cuttings can be used for propagation of Q. amara. Frost is not tolerated, but the plant is partially drought tolerant. A large amount of indirect light is recommended.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area, Subtropical area, Monsoonal area.

Photo Gallery

References

External Links