rauwolfia Hear it!

rauwolfia definition

rau·wol·fia (rô wo̵ol′fē ə, ro̵u-)

noun

  1. any of a genus (Rauwolfia) of tropical, mostly poisonous, trees and shrubs of the dogbane family, some of which contain medicinal substances
  2. the powdered whole root of a plant (Rauwolfia serpentina) yielding various alkaloids, esp. reserpine

Etymology: ModL, after L. Rauwolf, 16th-c. Ger botanist

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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