Cinchona

Rubiaceae week : Cinchona: I am not sharing any images of Cinchona here because I don’t have any.
I would just like to mention about this important genus which belongs to Family : Rubiaceae.
There are 38 species in the genus Cinchona, native to South America.
The anti malarial properties of the bark of the plant were known to Brazilian people way back from 16th century.
Richard Spruce an English botanist was responsible for successful cultivation of bitter bark quinine.
He collected the seeds of this plant for the first time from South America in around 1860; from which quinine is produced . Even for this he was paid scarcely enough by the British Government to cover his life expenses. He had a very hard time in South America during this time. His health completely ruined.. He battled against rats, vampire bats,scorpions, armies of viciously stinging ants, disease and even a plot to kill him.
Because of Richard Spruce quinine came out of south America and was made available to the entire world thus making a major contribution to the human health.