Rhaphithamnus
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Rhaphithamnus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Verbenaceae. It is native to Argentina, Chile, and the Juan Fernández Islands. Traditionally, it is considered by the locals that the berries of this genus of plants are toxic or poisonous, so their consumption is not recommended.
Rhaphithamnus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Verbenaceae. It is native to Argentina, Chile, and the Juan Fernández Islands. Traditionally, it is considered by the locals that the berries of this genus of plants are toxic or poisonous, so their consumption is not recommended.
Species
Accepted species include: Rhaphithamnus spinosus (Juss.) Moldenke. Common names in Chile and Argentina repu, arayan macho and espino negro ( = 'black-thorn'). Rhaphithamnus venustus (Phil.) Rob.
Use in Chilean folk medicine
In the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile, R. spinosus is one of three plant species believed in local folk medicine to be antidotes to the anticholinergic poisoning caused by the dangerous hallucinogenic plant Latua pubiflora (Solanaceae). It is used by the shamans of the indigenous Huilliche people who employ Latua to enter trance in machitun healing rituals.
Gallery
File:Raphithamnus spinosus (17045784937).jpg|Rhaphithamnus spinosus in flower. File:Rhaphithamnus spinosus-rama.JPG|Spiny twigs of Rhaphithamnus spinosus. File:Rhaphithamnus spinosus fruit at Logan.jpg|Mid-shot of fruiting specimen of R. spinosus in Chilean planting at Logan Botanic Garden. File:Rhaphithamnus spinosus (8730120818).jpg|Close-up of striking, bluish-purple fruits of Rhaphithamnus spinosus.
References
External links
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378470399 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.