Rauwolfia definition
Any of a genus (Rauwolfia) of tropical, mostly poisonous, trees and shrubs of the dogbane family, some of which contain medicinal substances.
noun
The powdered whole root of a plant (Rauwolfia serpentina) yielding various alkaloids, esp. reserpine.
noun
Any of a group of alkaloida extracted from these trees.
noun
Any of various tropical trees and shrubs of the genus Rauvolfia, especially R. serpentina, of South and Southeast Asia, the root of which is the source of alkaloid drugs such as reserpine.
noun
Advertisement
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
rauwolfia
Plural:
rauwolfiasOrigin of rauwolfia
- Variant of New Latin Rauvolfia genus name after Leonhard Rauwolf (1535–1596), German botanist
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition