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Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill., Hist. Pl. 13: 170 1895. (Syn: Cerbera chinensis Spreng.; Dissolaena verticillata Lour.; Ervatamia ophiorhizoides (Kurz) Lace; Ervatamia ventii Lý; Hunteria sundana Miq. .; Ophioxylon belgaumense Wight; Ophioxylon chinense Hance; Ophioxylon densiflorum (Wall.) Thwaites; Ophioxylon macrocarpum Wight; Ophioxylon majus Hassk.; Ophioxylon neilgheerense Wight; Ophioxylon zeylanicum Wight; Rauvolfia altodiscifera R.H.Miao; Rauvolfia brevistyla Tsiang; Rauvolfia cambodiana Pierre ex Pit.; Rauvolfia chinensis (Hance) Hemsl.; Rauvolfia densiflora (Wall.) Benth. ex Hook.f.; Rauvolfia latifrons Tsiang; Rauvolfia loheri Merr.; Rauvolfia major (Hassk.) G.Nicholson; Rauvolfia membranacea Merr.; Rauvolfia obversa Koord. [Illegitimate]; Rauvolfia ophiorrhizoides (Kurz) Kerr ; Rauvolfia perakensis King & Gamble; Rauvolfia serpentina var. gracilis Stapf; Rauvolfia superaxillaris P.T.Li & S.Z.Huang; Rauvolfia taiwanensis Tsiang; Rauvolfia verticillata var. hainanensis Tsiang ..; Rauvolfia yunnanensis Tsiang; Tabernaemontana cylindrica Steud. [Invalid]; Tabernaemontana densiflora Wall.; Tabernaemontana microcarpa Wall.; Tabernaemontana ophiorrhizoides Kurz; Tabernaemontana subcapitata Hook.f. & Thomson; Tabernaemontana wallichiana Steud.);
. raau-FO-feeah — named in honour of Leonhard Rauwolf [↗], German physician, botanist, and traveller … Dave’s Botanary ver-ti-si-LAH-tuh — referring to a whorl … Dave’s Botanary . commonly known as: dense-flowered snakeroot • Kannada: ಕಳ್ಳಿ kalli, ಪಾತಾಳಗರುಡಿ patala garudi • Khasi: dieng-ja-soh-korblang, dieng-la-tyr-kai, dieng-la-tyrking, dieng-soh-bu-blang • Malayalam: കാട്ടമൽപ്പൊരി kaattamalpori, വണ്ടുവര vanduvara • Marathi: अल्पगंधा alpagandha • Mizo: lei-tawt, piri-sawr • Tamil: பாரிசிருநிலா paarisirunila • Sylheti: dieng-lar-kei
.  Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.: Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.
Photograph taken at Patgaon, Dist: Kolhapur (Maharashtra)
Date: 24/07/2011
Description from Flora of China<http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200018456>
Dissolena verticillata Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 1: 137. 1790; Cerbera chinensis Sprengel; Ophioxylon chinense Hance; Rauvolfia altodiscifera Miau, R. brevistyla Tsiang; R. cambodiana Pierre ex Pitard; R.
chinensis (Sprengel) Hemsley; R. latifrons Tsiang; R. perakensis King & Gamble; R. superaxillaris P. T. Li & S. Z. Huang; R. taiwanensis Tsiang; R. verticillata var. hainanensis Tsiang; R. verti-cillata var. oblanceolata Tsiang; R. verticillata var. officinalisTsiang; R. yunnanensis Tsiang. Shrubs to 3 m tall, erect, glabrous. Branchlets pale gray, lenticellate. Lower leaves opposite, terminal leaves in whorls of 3 or 4; petiole 0.5-1.5 cm; leaf blade narrowly to broadly ovate or oblong, 3.5-25 X 5-13 cm, nearly
papery to membranous; lateral veins 6 or 7 pairs. Cymes rather lax, 3-9 together; peduncle 2-15 cm. Pedicel 3-6 mm. Corolla white, tube cylindric, 1-1.8 cm, inflated and villous from middle to throat; lobes broadly elliptic or ovate, 1-4.5 mm. Stamens inserted at middle of corolla tube. Ovaries distinct. Drupes ellipsoid or ovoid, distinct, ca. 10 X 5 mm. Seed 1. Fl. Feb-Oct, fr. Apr-Dec. 2n = 22.
Used in China to treat snake poisoning, malaria, and typhus. The roots are used to treat hypertension and as a sedative. Distribution: Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and China
Valparai: Tree for identification 200912MK02: Please help me in identifying this small tree found in the wet forests of Valparai area of Western Ghats. I have no idea of this species.
Height: 2-3 metres
Leaf: 15-20cm long
Fruit: 1 cm across
Date: 01 August 2012
Place: near Sholayar dam, Valparai, TN
Alt.: 1050 m asl
Habitat: Shola edge Probably its Ardisia species This could be a species of Saprosma of Rubiaceae family. This is Rauvolfia densiflora and known as Rauvolfia verticillata. One of the common Rauvolfia species in the high altitudes. I was not aware about this species and the leaf shape and venation lead me to Saprosma. But the whorled leafs reminded me that of Rauvolfia serpentina. Please help me to identify this shrub found in the wet forests of Nilgiris. It was an undergrowth shrub of about 1.5m tall.
Leaf: c.18 x 6 cm
Flower: white, 1.5cm across, fragrant
Location: Kodanad, Nilgiris, TN
Alt.: 2000 M ASL
Date: 21 June 2013 Rauvolfia verticillata, Apocynaceae. Very nice pictures and thanks for posting. I have also seen this plant in Nilgiris and waiting to know the ID. Thanks to … for the ID.
Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. SN May 40 : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (2). Seeing first time. Thank you for showing another species of Rauvolfia.
Anshi Ghat :: Rauvolfia verticillata :: DVFEB31/64 : 3 posts by 2 authors. 2 images.
Anshi Ghat … Karnataka
Date: 25 MAY 2013 … Altitude: 340 – 380 m asl
Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. … (family: Apocynaceae) Seems to be Rauvolfia verticillata
ANAPR26 Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. (syn. Rauvolfia densiflora (Wall.) Benth.ex Hook.f.) : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (9)
Family: Apocynaceae Excellent details … what a unique flower face Thank you … Yes, ma’am, it is. Short tree in a really tall-tree-filled forest. Only the parts of the tree peeking out onto the roadside were flowering.
Rauvolfia serpentina: 8 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2) No sir this is not Rauwolfia serpentina It is cultivated in the Godawari Botanical Garden, an entity of the Government of Nepal.
It is Rauvolfia serpentina for sure. Could it be Rauvolfia verticillata ?? Thanks, … I think it appears close to Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. as well as per comparative images at Rauvolfia   Ultimately, in my opinion this is Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. (accepted name) but not native to Nepal rather I guess it is introduced by the Govt.of Nepal. Enclosing fruiting pictures of same plant from same location shot on
10 January 2017.
Also, enclosing the link of listing from Nepal for further caparison.
Attachments (7)
    [efloraofindia:33899] Request for ID- 040510RA2 : Attachments (4). 11 posts by 8 authors.
Request for ID of this Apocynaceae family species. Thank you.
Seems to a Psychotria.. May be P. truncata..??? It looks like Psychotria but not not sure about species. .. How about Psychotria truncata..? The leaves appear to be ternately arranged. So could it be a species of Rauvolfia? Was there any milky latex while breaking the stem? Was there inter- petiolar stipule present?
This doesn’t look like Psychotria to me. As … pointed out this is surely an Apocynacean member could be Rauvolfia densiflora or another possibility is Tabernaemontana sp. Please confirm the species only with flowers because the key characters are based on flowers. Family can be confirmed by replying to my queries in this mail. I have a humble request to everybody that we should be able to zoom in to see characters. For this, at least one picture should be of little more resolution or please provide more information. While taking pictures please avoid hand shake or out of focus that makes life difficult. Thank you so much …. Yes it is Rauvolfia species, so the family ID was correct after all! Seems to be a dwarf form of Rauvolfia verticillata
SK292JAN01-2016:ID : 7 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2)
Location: Godawari Botanical Garden, Nepal
Altitude: 5000 ft.
Date: 15 January 2014
No more image.
Wait for more features to appear.. Is it the same fruit ? efi thread Yes, I also think so.
Request for ID of a Shrub : 10 posts by 5 authors. Attachments (6)
Request your help in identifying a Shrub.
Photographed in Cherrapunjee area, Meghalaya, about 1500 m asl, in Sept 2017
Shrub, about 1.5 m tall, woody stem at base.
Most possibly Rauvolfia tetraphylla. I think you have reached to the species … Would like a reconsideration on the identity of the plant. Comparing it to images on efi shows it to be a different from Rauvolfia tetraphylla.. Will check for more photos of this plant Attachments (2) Pl. also check with images at
Is it Rauwolfia densiflora? Thanks, …
I also feel these are more closer to images at Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.
Rauvolfia densiflora (Wall.) Benth. ex Hook.f. is a synonym of Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.
Location: Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
Date: 12 August 2018
Elevation: 1300 ft.
Habit : Wild
Any idea about family? Pankaj might know. I guess he was telling me during the trip but I forgot. Looks like a member of Apocyanaceae Apocynaceae Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. ?? Does it look like Rauvolfia verticillata?
Hahaha, ok it should be it then 🙂 You mean ID is correct … so i am not the only one with senior moments!! … both??? senior moment? look above in the thread. … told you during trip but you forgot, that amusing because i am getting into this senior moment sometimes now I think we are wrong. I will confirm later. Verticillata has stalked fruit. Your plant seems to have sessile fruit! Thank you …! It was just my guess. Anyways, you are there to solve it😁 !
It is indeed verticillata. Sorry for inconvenience! My friend said that the fruits are not stalked but just that in some flowers only on carpel developed hence it looks like stalked.
Rawolfia densiflora – efloraofindia | Google Groups . Shrub for Id_Kankumbhi Forest_Belgaum_Karnataka: 4 images. This shrub was observed at Kankumbhi forest near Belgaum, Karnataka.
Observed in July 2021
Kindly help in identification. Check Rauvolfia verticillata Yes, I agree as per images at Rauvolfia verticillata . Shrub for Id_Kankumbhi Forest_Belgaum_Karnataka: 4 images. This shrub was observed at Kankumbhi forest near Belgaum, Karnataka.
Observed in July 2021
Kindly help in identification. Check Rauvolfia verticillata Yes, I agree as per images at Rauvolfia verticillata . Rauvolfia verticillata: Mandalpatti, Coorg, Karnataka: 9 images- 2 high res. For me the ID is correct. I have seen this plant on the Karnataka – Kerala border (near Coorg) on the highway. . 763 ID wild lactiferous shrub: 6 images.
Please ID wild lactiferous plant, Location: Painavu Idukki Kerala INDIA Altitude: 4000fsl Flower date: 02APR2026, 10.05am Habitat: wild moisture sloppy misty highland Plant habit: medium erect branched lactiferous shrub, hard cylindrical stem 03.5cm base diameter, perennial Height: 06 feet Leaves: opposite elliptical acute simple flexible glossy wavy, size upto: 10×05cm Flower: terminal panicle inflorescence, white, fragrant, diameter:18mm Fruit: berry green into ash to blue ovoid size:22x12mm Seed: brown single ovoid compressed ridges size: 12x5mm Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. Raulvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. 763 ID wild lactiferous plant: 21 high res. images. Altitude: 4000fsl
Flower date: 02APR2026, 10.05am
Habitat: wild moisture sloppy misty highland
Plant habit: medium erect branched lactiferous shrub, hard cylindrical stem 03.5cm base diameter, perennial
Height: 06 feet
Leaves: opposite elliptical acute simple flexible glossy wavy, size upto: 10×05cm
Flower: terminal panicle inflorescence, white, fragrant, diameter:18mm
Fruit: berry green into ash to blue ovoid size:22x12mm
Seed: brown single ovoid compressed ridges size: 12x5mm Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. Yes it is Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill., dear …, thank you very much for ID my plant, .
Names of Plants in India :: Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.: 1 image.
Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. raau-FO-feeah — named in honour of Leonhard Rauwolf [↗], German physician, botanist, and traveller … Dave’s Botanary
ver-ti-si-LAH-tuh — referring to a whorl … Dave’s Botanary commonly known as: dense-flowered snakeroot • Kannada: ಕಳ್ಳಿ kalli, ಪಾತಾಳಗರುಡಿ patala garudi • Khasi: dieng-ja-soh-korblang, dieng-la-tyr-kai, dieng-la-tyrking, dieng-soh-bu-blang • Malayalam: കാട്ടമൽപ്പൊരി kaattamalpori, വണ്ടുവര vanduvara • Marathi: अल्पगंधा alpagandha • Mizo: lei-tawt, piri-sawr • Tamil: பாரிசிருநிலா paarisirunila • Sylheti: dieng-lar-kei
known for / parts made use of: roots, leaves, bark & branches … compiled from the web botanical names: Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. … homotypic synonyms: Rauvolfia chinensis (Hance) Hemsl. … heterotypic synonyms: Rauvolfia densiflora (Wall.) Benth. ex Hook.f. • Tabernaemontana densiflora Wall. … and more at POWO, retrieved October 11, 2026 TAXONOMIC HISTORY :: R. verticillata & R. densiflora
Although the French botanist Henri Ernest Baillon officially established the accepted name Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. back in 1895, Indian botanical literature traditionally classified local populations in the Western Ghats and northeast India as a distinct species named Rauvolfia densiflora. For more than a century, landmark regional references — including the Flora of British India and various state Floras — strictly maintained this separate designation. It wasn’t until the advent of modern global digital databases like Kew’s Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online (WFO) that global specimens were definitively synthesized, formalising R. densiflora as a junior synonym of the older, widely distributed Asian species, R. verticillata.
Bibliography / etymology / notes
Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites may even close down at their own will. The bits about the languages of India mentioned below are merely some bare facts gathered from the internet; just enough to satisfy curiosity about “where” could the listed names be best prevalent in India. All English transliterated names to be taken sensu amplo.
~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
dense-flowered snakeroot
~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~
written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) … spoken in: Karnataka
ಕಳ್ಳಿ kalli
ಪಾತಾಳಗರುಡಿ patala garudi
~~~~~ KHASI ~~~~~
written in: Latin (Khasi alphabet), Bengali-Assamese … spoken in: Meghalaya, Assam
dieng-ja-soh-korblang, dieng-la-tyr-kai, dieng-la-tyrking, dieng-soh-bu-blang
~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~
written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) … spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep
കാട്ടമൽപ്പൊരി kaattamalpori
വണ്ടുവര vanduvara
~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मराठी) … spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka
अल्पगंधा alpagandha
The Sanskrit rooted compound name अल्पगन्ध (Alpagandha), meaning “having little scent”, in classical Sanskrit lexicons, refers explicitly to the “red lotus” (Nymphaea rubra or Nelumbo). In the modern botanical usage, the name was adapted by botanist Shrikant Ingalhalikar in his Sahyadri floral guides as a localized common name for R. verticillata. He likely crafted it as a clever rhyming play on its highly famous sister species, Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina), while indicating that it carries a milder or “lesser” profile compared to the dominant Indian snakeroot.
~~~~~ MIZO ~~~~~
written in: Latin, Bengali-Assamese … spoken in: Mizoram … other names for this language: Lushai, Duhlian
lei-tawt, piri-sawr
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) … spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
பாரிசிருநிலா paarisirunila
~~~~~ SYLHETI ~~~~~
written in: Sylheti Nagri (ꠍꠤꠟꠐꠤ), Bengali–Assamese (সিলেটি), Latin … spoken in: Barak Valley of Assam, northern parts of Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland … read more about its status as language / dialect in Wikipedia … other names for this language: Sylhetti, Sileti, Siloti
dieng-lar-kei
~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~
Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu
~~~~~ Created on: 09:42 11-10-2026 ¦ Last updated: 19:55 12-10-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~
Names compiled / updated at https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2026/10/rauvolfia-verticillata-lour-baill.html
both Malayalam and English names are correct. . References:
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Rauvolfia verticillata
Updated on October 18, 2026