Guiana Quassia (Quassia guianensis)

Quassia of Guiana
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey / License

Quassia guianensis: Botanical Profile and Habitat

Valued across the Guianas for its bitter therapeutic compounds, this understory shrub inhabits wet tropical forests. It grows in shaded, humid environments, contributing to the rich biodiversity of the Amazon basin. The species has a long history of use among indigenous communities for its medicinal properties.

Taxonomy

  • ∟ царство Plantae
  • ∟ division Tracheophytes
  • ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
  • ∟ Angiosperms
  • ∟ mesangiosperms
  • ∟ eudicots
  • ∟ Superrosids
  • ∟ rosids
  • ∟ malvids
  • ∟ order Sapindales
  • ∟ family Simaroubaceae (Quassia family)
  • ∟ genus Quassia (Quassia Wood)
  • ∟ species Quassia guianensis (Guiana Quassia)

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Morphology

This evergreen shrub or small tree displays smooth bark and slender branches. The leaves are pinnately compound, consisting of dark green, elliptic leaflets arranged in an alternate pattern along the stem.

Greenish or white flowers form in small clusters along the terminal shoots. The resulting fruits are small drupes that change color as they ripen, attracting native birds that aid in seed dispersal.

Applications

The bark and roots are harvested to prepare traditional infusions aimed at treating digestive complaints and reducing fevers. Modern phytochemistry focuses on the isolation of quassinoids from this plant for cytotoxic and antiplasmodial studies.

Interesting facts

French botanist Fusée Aublet described this species for the first time in the 18th century during his scientific explorations in French Guiana. His observations allowed the plant to be included in the earliest catalogs of South American flora.

The bright red coloration of its flowers serves as a powerful visual cue to attract hummingbirds. These birds are indeed the only pollinators capable of accessing the nectar hidden deep inside the long floral tube.

Geography of distribution

  • French Guiana
  • Guyana
  • Suriname
  • Brazil

Sources

  • Plants of the World Online (POWO)
  • World Flora Online (WFO)
  • Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Technical Information

External Databases: GBIF, POWO, Tropicos

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