2. Family of Flowering Plants
Also called “Coffee Family”
Consists 450 Genera and 6500 Species
Plants are cosmopolitan, but mostly grow
in tropical and sub-tropical region
Usually shrubs, sometimes trees or herbs
Leaves:-
Simple, usually entire
Opposite, sometimes whorled
Interpetiolar stipule present
3. Inflorescence:-Usually Cymose, less often
solitary
Flowers:-
Small to medium sized
Bisexual, actinomorphic, complete
Bracteate and epigynous
Calyx:- 4-5 lobed, free or united, Valvate
aestivation
Corolla:- 4-5 fused petals, Imbricate/valvate
aestivation
Androecium:- 4-5 stamens, free, epipetalous
Gynoecium:- 2-5 fused carpels, ovary:
inferior, unilocular or
bilocular, axile or parietal
placentation
4. Fruit:- Capsule or Drupe
Seeds:- Endospermic
Some plants belonging to this family:
Coffea arabica Psychotria
7. Distribution and habitat:-
Native to Central and South America, China
Growing at an altitude of 300-3900m
Especially in tropical forest
When grown on non-native place becomes
invasive
Tall trees with evergreen foliage
Grow well in sandy acidic soil of volcanic
origin
Usually grow up to about 30m height
8. Leaf:-
Ovate shaped of length 24-50cm and
breadth 17-40cm
Entire margin
Acuminate apex
Petiolate and opposite
9. Bark:-
Quills upto 30cm long, 2-6mm thick
Outer surface bear moss or lichen
Colour varies from yellowish-brown to deep
reddish brown
Fracture is short in outer part and fibrous in
inner part
Inner surface is striated
Slight odor
Bitter and astringent taste
17. The medicinally important part of Cinchona
is its bark
Quinine have bactericidal property.
Quinine is poison for Plasmodium spp. So it is
widely used as an anti-malarial drug
Quinidine is a cardiac depressant.
It is used in treatment of cardiac arrhythmia
18. Bark of Cinchona have following medicinal
uses as well:
Its bitter tonic induces digestive secretion
and boost appetite
Infusion made from bark used in treatment
of infected throats and oral problems
It stimulate uterine contraction during
labour.
Used in skin infections, measles, hay
fever, neuralgia
Also in some countries used in treatment of
cancer and physical fatigue
19. Rubiaceae. Available :
http://www.herbarium.hawaii.edu/BOT461/query/details.php
?field=family&family=Rubiaceae [Date accessed: 12/02/2014]
Cinchona. Available :
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_cinchona.htm [Date
accessed: 11/02/2014]
Invasive Species Specialist Group of IUCN. Cinchona pubescens.
Available :
http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=63
[Date accessed: 12/02/2014]
Cinchona pubescens. Available:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinchona_pubescens [Date
accessed: 24/01/2014]
Rubiaceae. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubiaceae
[Date accessed: 24/01/2014]
SHAH, B.N. and SETH, A.K., (2010). Textbook of
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. India: Reed Elsevier India
Private Limited.