Strophanthus preussii

Strophanthus preussii
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Apocynaceae
Genus:	Strophanthus
Species:	S. preussii
Binomial name
	Strophanthus preussii; Engl. & Pax
Synonyms
	Strophanthus bracteatus Franch.;

Strophanthus preussii, the Preuss' strophanthus,^[3] is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae.

Description

Strophanthus preussii grows as an evergreen liana up to 12 metres (39 ft) long or a shrub up to 5 metres (16 ft) tall, with a stem diameter up to 2.5 centimetres (1 in). Its fragrant flowers feature a white to orange corolla, red-striped or spotted on the inside. Corollas have very long tails. Other vernacular names for the plant include "spider tresses" and "poison arrow vine".^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Strophanthus preussii is native to west and central tropical Africa.^[2]^[4] Its habitat is forested areas from sea level to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) altitude.^[4]

Uses

Traditional medicinal uses of Strophanthus preussii include treatment of gonorrhoea and healing of sores. The plant has also been used as arrow poison.^[4]