Uncaria pubescent ( Latin Uncaria tomentosa ), ( English Cat's Claw - cat's claw) is a tree-like liana of the Marenova family , which grows in the tropical forests of South and Central America, along the shores and in the Amazon foothills in Peru.
| Uncaria pubescent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Uncaria tomentosa ( Willd. Ex Schult. ) DC. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The plant got its name for sharp curved thorns that help it curl around the trees and resemble a clawed cat's paw in appearance.
Historical Information
Amazon Indians have long been aware of this plant. [ when? ] Locals consider Uncaria tomentosa a sacred plant.
Scientist Studies
More than 25 years ago, the Austrian K. Keplinger obtained a US patent for alkaloids isolated from a plant.
Notes
- ↑ For the conventionality of specifying the class of dicotyledons as a superior taxon for the plant group described in this article, see the APG Systems section of the Dicotyledonous article .