Ichnocarpus frutescens
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ichnocarpus frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, known by the English common name black creeper.[2] It is native to much of China, India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia.[1][3]
| Ichnocarpus frutescens | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Ichnocarpus |
| Species: | I. frutescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Ichnocarpus frutescens | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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It is a woody shrub with lianas sprawling to 10 m (33 ft) in maximum length and 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter. The bark produces a creamy white sap. The leaves are up to 11 cm (4.3 in) long by 4.5 cm (1.8 in) wide. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers. Each flower has a calyx of densely hairy sepals and a five lobed corolla just under a centimeter long. The fruit is a follicle which may be over 14 cm (5.5 in) long. The roots may be reddish or purple. The plant is sold in markets in some areas in India.[4]
Uses
The plant has a large number of traditional medicinal uses, including for rheumatism, asthma, cholera, and fever.[5] Some in vitro and rodent studies have suggested that extracts of the plant may inhibit tumors,[6] protect liver cells from damage in acetaminophen overdose,[7] and reduces complications of hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats.[8] There have been no published studies testing any of these effects in humans.
The fibrous bark is used to make rope.[3]