Alstonia scholaris

(Linnaeus) R. Brown

Asclepiadeae, 65. 1810.

Common names: Blackboard tree Indian deviltree
Introduced
Basionym: Echites scholaris Linnaeus Mant. Pl. 1: 53. 1767
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 14.
Revision as of 21:38, 6 October 2024 by imported>Volume Importer
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Trees 2–20(–60) m. Leaves in whorls of 4–8; petiole 5–20(–25) mm, glabrous; blade nar­rowly elliptic to obovate, 5–17(–22) × 2–7(–8.5) cm, sub­coriaceous, base cuneate, usually decurrent on petiole, less often acute or obtuse, margins somewhat revolute, apex obtuse, rounded, or retuse, surfaces glabrous or pubescent abaxially. Peduncles 0.5–5(–9) cm, pubescent or glabrate. Pedicels 0–2 mm, pubescent. Flowers: calyx lobes ovate, 1.5–2.4 mm, pubescent, ciliate; corolla white, yellow, or cream, eglandular-pubescent abaxially and adaxially, tube and throat together 7+ mm, tube 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm, throat 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, lobes spreading, broadly ovate or suborbiculate, 3–5 × 2.5–4.5 mm. Follicles 20–40(–60) × 0.2–0.3 cm. Seeds 4–5(–7) mm. 2n = 44.


Phenology: Flowering fall; fruiting material not seen.
Habitat: Coastal hard­wood hammocks.
Elevation: 0 m.

Distribution

Introduced; Fla., Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia.

Discussion

Alstonia scholaris is occasionally cultivated in southern Florida, where it may produce stems to 20 m in height and 1 m in diameter, and has become naturalized at a few sites in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

M. S. Khyade et al. (2014) provided a lengthy list of the traditional medicinal uses of leaf, bark, and root extracts of Alstonia scholaris in India and document the antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and possible anticancer potential of alkaloids isolated from the plant. In India, the wood was formerly used to make chalkboards (H. Drury 1873).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Alstonia scholaris"
David E. Lemke +
(Linnaeus) R. Brown +
Echites scholaris +
Blackboard tree +  and Indian deviltree +
Fla. +, Asia +, Pacific Islands +  and Australia. +
Coastal hardwood hammocks. +
Flowering fall +  and fruiting material not seen. +
Asclepiadeae, +
Introduced +
Alstonia scholaris +
Alstonia +
species +