Silene undulata
Species of plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Silene undulata (Xhosa: iindlela zimhlophe—"white ways/paths", also known as Silene capensis, and African dream root) is a plant native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.[1][2][3]
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| Silene undulata | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Silene |
| Species: | S. undulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Silene undulata | |
| Synonyms | |
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Cultivation
In cultivation, S. undulata is an easily grown, but moisture hungry herb. It is tolerant of extreme heat, >40 °C (104 °F), and moderate cold, −5 °C (23 °F). A moisture retentive seedbed is essential. The fragrant flowers open at night and close in the day. It is a biennial to short lived perennial and the root can be harvested after the second year.
Uses
Silene undulata is regarded by the Xhosa people as a sacred plant. Its root is traditionally used to induce vivid (and according to the Xhosa, prophetic) lucid dreams during the initiation process of traditional healers, classifying it a naturally occurring oneirogen similar to the more well-known dream herb Calea zacatechichi.[1][3]
Constituents
Silene undulata has been found to contain β-carbolines such as norharman, harmalol, and harmaline, and harmine, as well as ibogaine.[4] In addition, these constituents were predicted to act as serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists.[4] These components, and in turn serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activation, may be involved in the psychoactive effects of Silene undulata.[4]
