rauwolfia
rauwolfia
Definition
rau·wol·fia (rô wo̵ol′fē ə, ro̵u-)
noun
- any of a genus (Rauwolfia) of tropical, mostly poisonous, trees and shrubs of the dogbane family, some of which contain medicinal substances
- the powdered whole root of a plant (Rauwolfia serpentina) yielding various alkaloids, esp. reserpine
Etymology: ModL, after L. Rauwolf, 16th-c. Ger botanist
