Strophanthus divaricatus

Strophanthus divaricatus (Loureiro) Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey Voy. 199. 1837.

Strophanthus divaricatus (Loureiro) Hooker & Arnott; Photo Nguyen Hoang Tuan

Strophanthus divaricatus (Loureiro) Hooker & Arnott

Strophanthus divaricatus (Loureiro) Hooker & Arnott

Vietnamese name: Sừng dê hoa vàng

Chinese name: 羊角拗 yang jiao niu

Latin Name: Strophanthus divaricatus (Loureiro) Hooker & Arnott

Synonym Name: Pergularia divaricata Loureiro; Emericia divaricata (Loureiro) Roemer & Schultes; Nerium chinense Hunter ex Roxburgh; Periploca divaricata (Loureiro) Sprengel; Strophanthus chinensis (Hunter ex Roxburgh) G. Don; Strophanthus dichotomus de Candolle var. chinensis Ker Gawler; Strophanthus divergens Graham; Vallaris divaricata (Loureiro) G. Don.

Family: Apocynaceae

Description: Lianas or sarmentose shrubs, up to 4.5 m tall, with clear or yellowish latex. Branches dark grey, densely lenticellate, branchlets reddish brown. Leaves opposite; leaf blades 3–10 × 1.5–5 cm. Cymes 3–15‑flowered. Corolla yellow, lobes with red basal spots adaxially, up to 10 cm long, lobes apex caudate to filiform. Follicles 9–15 × 2–3.5 cm, woody, divergent at an angle 180–250°. Seeds 1.3–2 cm long, fusiform, with coma. 
Distribution: It is found in China, Laos and Vietnam.

Ecological: Forests, thickets; 100-1000 m.

Chemitry: Cardiac glycosides such as divaricoside, divostroside, sinoside and strophanthins.

Poisoning Features: Digitalis-like toxicity such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, hypotension, arrhythmias, hyperkalaemia, agitation, confusion, convulsion, coma and even death.

Uses:

- Highly toxic; use with caution. Uses in TCM—roots, or branches and leaves: dispel wind-dampness, unblock the meridian and collateral vessels, expel toxin and heal furuncles, kill parasites, relieve itching, relieve pain; seeds: dispel wind and unblock the collaterals, remove toxin and kill parasites. For external use only

- S. divaricatus has been used medicinally: as a heart stimulant and in the treatment of snakebites

Reference:

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- www3.ha.org.hk