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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Alstonia''
| image = Alstonia scholaris.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Indian Devil tree (''Alstonia scholaris'')
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Gentianales]]
| familia = [[Apocynaceae]]
| tribus = [[Plumeriae]]
| subtribus = [[Alstoniinae]]
| genus = '''''Alstonia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Robert Brown (botanist)|R.Br.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
'''''Alstonia''''' is a widespread [[genus]] of [[evergreen]] trees and [[shrub]]s from the dogbane family ([[Apocynaceae]]). It was named by [[Robert Brown]] in 1811, after [[Charles Alston (botanist)|Charles Alston]] (1685-1760), Professor of [[botany]] at [[Edinburgh]] from 1716-1760.
The type species ''Alstonia scholaris'' (L.) R.Br. was originally named ''Echites scholaris'' by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in 1767.
==Description==
''Alstonia'' (devil tree) consists of about 40-60 [[species]] (according to different authors), native to tropical and subtropical [[Africa]], [[Central America]], [[southeast Asia]], [[Polynesia]] and [[Australia]], with most species in the Malesian region.
These trees can grow very large, such as ''Alstonia pneumatophora'', recorded with a height of 60 m and a diameter of more than 2 m. ''Alstonia longifolia'' is the only species growing in Central America (mainly shrubs, but also trees 20 m high).
The leathery, sessile, simple [[leaf|leaves]] are elliptical, ovate, linear or lanceolate and wedge-shaped at the base. The leaf blade is dorsiventral, medium-sized to large and disposed oppositely or in a whorl and with entire margin. The leaf venation is pinnate, with numerous veins ending in a marginal vein.
The [[inflorescence]] is terminal or axillary, consisting of thyrsiform [[cyme]]s or compound [[umbel]]s. The small, more or less fragrant [[flower]]s are white, yellow, pink or green and funnel-shaped, growing on a pedicel and subtended by [[bract]]s. They consist of 5 [[petal]]s and 5 [[sepal]]s, arranged in four whorls. The fertile flowers are hermaphrodite. The gamosepalous green sepals consist of ovate lobes, and are distributed in one whorl. The annular disk is hypogynous. The five gamesepalous petals have oblong or ovate lobes and are disposed in one whorl. The [[corolla]] lobes overlapping to the left (such as ''A. rostrata'') or to the right (such as ''A. macrophylla'') in the bud. The [[ovary (plants)|ovary]] has 2 separate follicles with glabrous or ciliate, oblong [[seed]]s that develop into deep blue podlike, schizocarp [[fruit]], between 7-40 cm long. The plants contain a milky [[Sap (plant)|sap]], rich in poisonous [[alkaloid]]s. The ''Alstonia macrophylla'' is commonly known in [[Sri Lanka]] as 'Havari nuga' or the 'wig banyan' because of its distinct flower that looks like a woman's long wig.
''Alstonia'' trees are used in [[traditional medicine]]. The bark of the ''[[Alstonia constricta]]'' and the ''[[Alstonia scholaris]]'' is a source of a remedy against [[malaria]], toothache, rheumatism and snake bites. The [[latex]] is used in treating coughs, throat sores and fever.
Many ''Alstonia'' species are commercial timbers, called ''pule'' or ''pulai'' in Indonesia and Malaysia. Trees from the section ''Alstonia'' produce light timber, while those from the sections ''Monuraspermum'' and ''Dissuraspermum'' produce heavy timber.
Alstonia trees are widespread and mostly not endangered. However a few species are very rare, such as ''A. annamensis'', ''A. beatricis'', ''A. breviloba'', ''A. stenophylla'' and ''A. guangxiensis''.
==Species==
''Alstonia'' has five distinct sections, each a [[monophyletic]] group; ''Alstonia, Blaberopus, Tonduzia, Monuraspermum, Dissuraspermum''.
[[Image:Alstonia.scholaris.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bitter Bark (Alstonia scholaris)]]
* ''[[Alstonia actinophylla]]'' (A.Cunn.) K.Schum. - Milkwood
* ''Alstonia acuminata'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia annamensis'' ( Monach. ) K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia angustifolia'' A.DC.
* ''Alstonia balansae'' Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia beatricis'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia boonei'' De Wild.
* ''Alstonia boulindaensis'' Boiteau
* ''Alstonia brassii'' Monachino
* ''Alstonia breviloba'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia calophylla'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia comptonii'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia congensis'' Engl.
* ''[[Alstonia constricta]]'' F.Muell. - Bitterbark, Quinine Tree, Australian Fever Bark
* ''Alstonia coriacea'' Pancher & S.Moore
* ''Alstonia costata'' R.Br.
* ''Alstonia cuneata'' Wall. & G.Don
* ''Alstonia curtisii'' King & Gamble
* ''Alstonia deplanchei'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia duerckheimianan'' Schltr.
* ''Alstonia edulis'' G.Benn.
* ''Alstonia elliptica'' J.W.Moore
* ''Alstonia esquirolii'' H.Lév.
* ''Alstonia eximia'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia ficifolia'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia filipes'' Schltr. ex Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia fragrans'' J.W.Moore
* ''Alstonia gilletii'' De Wild.
* ''Alstonia glabriflora'' Markgr.
* ''Alstonia godeffroyi'' Reinecke
* ''Alstonia grandifolia'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia guangxiensis'' D.Fang & X.X.Chen
* ''Alstonia henryi'' Tsiang
* ''Alstonia iwahigensis'' Elmer
* ''Alstonia kurzii'' Hook.f.
* ''Alstonia lanceolata'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia lanceolifera'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia legouixiae'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia lenormandii'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia linearifolia'' Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia linearis'' Benth.
* ''Alstonia longifolia'' (A.DC.) Pichon
* ''Alstonia longissima'' F.Muell.
* ''[[Alstonia macrophylla]]'' Wall. ex G.Don - Batino, Devil Tree
* ''Alstonia mairei'' H. Léveillé
* ''Alstonia marquisensis'' M.L.Grant ex Fosberg & Sachet
* ''Alstonia micrantha'' Ridl.
* ''Alstonia mollis'' Benth.
* ''Alstonia montana'' Turrill
* ''[[Alstonia muelleriana]]'' Domin - Jackapple, Leatherjacket, Milky Yellowwood
* ''Alstonia neriifolia'' D.Don.
* ''Alstonia oblongifolia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia odontophora'' Boiteau
* ''Alstonia pachycarpa'' Merr., Chun & Tsiang
* ''Alstonia pangkorensis'' King & Gamble
* ''Alstonia parvifolia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia paucinervia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia paupera'' (synonym of ''A. mairei'')
* ''Alstonia penangiana'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia plumosa'' Labill.
* ''Alstonia pneumatophora'' Backer ex L.G.Den Berger
* ''Alstonia polyphylla'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia quaternata'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia reineckeana'' Lauterb.
* ''Alstonia retusa'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia roeperi'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia rostrata'' C.E.C.Fischer
* ''Alstonia rubiginosa'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''[[Alstonia rupestris]]'' Kerr
* ''[[Alstonia saligna]]'' S.Moore
* ''[[Alstonia scholaris]]'' (L.) R.Br. - Pali-mari, Dita Bark, Bitter Bark, Milkwood, Milky Bean, Milky Pine, White Cheesewood, Blackboard Tree
* ''[[Alstonia sericea]]'' Blume
* ''[[Alstonia setchelliana]]'' Christoph.
* ''[[Alstonia smithii]]'' Markgr.
* ''[[Alstonia somersetensis]]'' F.M.Bailey
* ''[[Alstonia spathulifolia]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia spatulata]]'' Blume - Hard Milkwood, Siamese Balsa
* ''[[Alstonia spectabilis]]'' R.Br. - Poele Bark, Jackapple, Leatherjacket, Milky Yellowwood
* ''[[Alstonia sphaerocapitata]]'' Boiteau
* ''[[Alstonia stenophylla]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia subsessilis]]'' Miq.
* ''[[Alstonia twahigensis]]''
* ''[[Alstonia undulata]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia undulifolia]]'' K.M.Kochummen & K.M.Wong
* ''[[Alstonia venenata]]'' R.Br.
* ''[[Alstonia verticillosa]]'' F.Muell.
* ''[[Alstonia vieillardii]]'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''[[Alstonia villosa]]'' Blume
* ''[[Alstonia vitiensis]]'' Seem.
* ''[[Alstonia yunnanensis]]'' Diels
==References==
*[http://www.tropenbos.nl/docs/nwl17.pdf Recent taxonomy of Alstonia] ([[Portable Document Format|pdf]] file).
* Kade Sidiyasa. Taxonomy, phylogeny, and wood anatomy of Alstonia (Apocynaceae). 230 pp. Blumea, Suppl. 11 (1998), ISBN 90-71236-35-8. (Awarded with the [[Adolf Engler|Engler]] Medal by the International Association for Plant Taxonomy)
* Kade Sidiyasa, A., 3, 1992. A monograph of Alstonia (Apocynaceae).
* Forster, Paul I. - A taxonomic revision of Alstonia (Apocynaceae) in Australia (1992)
[[Category:Apocynaceae]]
[[Category:Trees]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Alstonia''
| image = Alstonia scholaris.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Indian Devil tree (''Alstonia scholaris'')
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Gentianales]]
| familia = [[Apocynaceae]]
| tribus = [[Plumeriae]]
| subtribus = [[Alstoniinae]]
| genus = '''''Alstonia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Robert Brown (botanist)|R.Br.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
'''''Alstonia''''' is a widespread [[genus]] of [[evergreen]] trees and [[shrub]]s from the dogbane family ([[Apocynaceae]]). It was named by [[Robert Brown]] in 1811, after [[Charles Alston (botanist)|Charles Alston]] (1685-1760), Professor of [[botany]] at [[Edinburgh]] from 1716-1760.
The type species ''Alstonia scholaris'' (L.) R.Br. was originally named ''Echites scholaris'' by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in 1767.
==Description==
''Alstonia'' (devil tree) consists of about 40-60 [[species]] (according to different authors), native to tropical and subtropical [[Africa]], [[Central America]], [[southeast Asia]], [[Polynesia]] and [[Australia]], with most species in the Malesian region.
These trees can grow very large, such as ''Alstonia pneumatophora'', recorded with a height of 60 m and a diameter of more than 2 m. ''Alstonia longifolia'' is the only species growing in Central America (mainly shrubs, but also trees 20 m high).
The leathery, sessile, simple [[leaf|leaves]] are elliptical, ovate, linear or lanceolate and wedge-shaped at the base. The leaf blade is dorsiventral, medium-sized to large and disposed oppositely or in a whorl and with entire margin. The leaf venation is pinnate, with numerous veins ending in a marginal vein.
The [[inflorescence]] is terminal or axillary, consisting of thyrsiform [[cyme]]s or compound [[umbel]]s. The small, more or less fragrant [[flower]]s are white, yellow, pink or green and funnel-shaped, growing on a pedicel and subtended by [[bract]]s. They consist of 5 [[petal]]s and 5 [[sepal]]s, arranged in four whorls. The fertile flowers are hermaphrodite. The gamosepalous green sepals consist of ovate lobes, and are distributed in one whorl. The annular disk is hypogynous. The five gamesepalous petals have oblong or ovate lobes and are disposed in one whorl. The [[corolla]] lobes overlapping to the left (such as ''A. rostrata'') or to the right (such as ''A. macrophylla'') in the bud. The [[ovary (plants)|ovary]] has 2 separate follicles with glabrous or ciliate, oblong [[seed]]s that develop into deep blue podlike, schizocarp [[fruit]], between 7-40 cm long. The plants contain a milky [[Sap (plant)|sap]], rich in poisonous [[alkaloid]]s. The ''Alstonia macrophylla'' is commonly known in [[Sri Lanka]] as 'Havari nuga' or the 'wig banyan' because of its distinct flower that looks like a woman's long wig.
''Alstonia'' trees are used in [[traditional medicine]]. The bark of the ''[[Alstonia constricta]]'' and the ''[[Alstonia scholaris]]'' is a source of a remedy against [[malaria]], toothache, rheumatism and snake bites. The [[latex]] is used in treating coughs, throat sores and fever.
Many ''Alstonia'' species are commercial timbers, called ''pule'' or ''pulai'' in Indonesia and Malaysia. Trees from the section ''Alstonia'' produce light timber, while those from the sections ''Monuraspermum'' and ''Dissuraspermum'' produce heavy timber.
Alstonia trees are widespread and mostly not endangered. However a few species are very rare, such as ''A. annamensis'', ''A. beatricis'', ''A. breviloba'', ''A. stenophylla'' and ''A. guangxiensis''.
==Species==
''Alstonia'' has five distinct sections, each a [[monophyletic]] group; ''Alstonia, Blaberopus, Tonduzia, Monuraspermum, Dissuraspermum''.
[[Image:Alstonia.scholaris.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bitter Bark (Alstonia scholaris)]]
* ''[[Alstonia actinophylla]]'' (A.Cunn.) K.Schum. - Milkwood
* ''Alstonia acuminata'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia annamensis'' ( Monach. ) K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia angustifolia'' A.DC.
* ''Alstonia balansae'' Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia beatricis'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia boonei'' De Wild.
* ''Alstonia boulindaensis'' Boiteau
* ''Alstonia brassii'' Monachino
* ''Alstonia breviloba'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia calophylla'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia comptonii'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia congensis'' Engl.
* ''[[Alstonia constricta]]'' F.Muell. - Bitterbark, Quinine Tree, Australian Fever Bark
* ''Alstonia coriacea'' Pancher & S.Moore
* ''Alstonia costata'' R.Br.
* ''Alstonia cuneata'' Wall. & G.Don
* ''Alstonia curtisii'' King & Gamble
* ''Alstonia deplanchei'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia duerckheimianan'' Schltr.
* ''Alstonia edulis'' G.Benn.
* ''Alstonia elliptica'' J.W.Moore
* ''Alstonia esquirolii'' H.Lév.
* ''Alstonia eximia'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia ficifolia'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia filipes'' Schltr. ex Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia fragrans'' J.W.Moore
* ''Alstonia gilletii'' De Wild.
* ''Alstonia glabriflora'' Markgr.
* ''Alstonia godeffroyi'' Reinecke
* ''Alstonia grandifolia'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia guangxiensis'' D.Fang & X.X.Chen
* ''Alstonia henryi'' Tsiang
* ''Alstonia iwahigensis'' Elmer
* ''Alstonia kurzii'' Hook.f.
* ''Alstonia lanceolata'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia lanceolifera'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia legouixiae'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia lenormandii'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia linearifolia'' Guillaumin
* ''Alstonia linearis'' Benth.
* ''Alstonia longifolia'' (A.DC.) Pichon
* ''Alstonia longissima'' F.Muell.
* ''[[Alstonia macrophylla]]'' Wall. ex G.Don - Batino, Devil Tree
* ''Alstonia mairei'' H. Léveillé
* ''Alstonia marquisensis'' M.L.Grant ex Fosberg & Sachet
* ''Alstonia micrantha'' Ridl.
* ''Alstonia mollis'' Benth.
* ''Alstonia montana'' Turrill
* ''[[Alstonia muelleriana]]'' Domin - Jackapple, Leatherjacket, Milky Yellowwood
* ''Alstonia neriifolia'' D.Don.
* ''Alstonia oblongifolia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia odontophora'' Boiteau
* ''Alstonia pachycarpa'' Merr., Chun & Tsiang
* ''Alstonia pangkorensis'' King & Gamble
* ''Alstonia parvifolia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia paucinervia'' Merr.
* ''Alstonia paupera'' (synonym of ''A. mairei'')
* ''Alstonia penangiana'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''Alstonia plumosa'' Labill.
* ''Alstonia pneumatophora'' Backer ex L.G.Den Berger
* ''Alstonia polyphylla'' Miq.
* ''Alstonia quaternata'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia reineckeana'' Lauterb.
* ''Alstonia retusa'' S.Moore
* ''Alstonia roeperi'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''Alstonia rostrata'' C.E.C.Fischer
* ''Alstonia rubiginosa'' K.Sidiyasa
* ''[[Alstonia rupestris]]'' Kerr
* ''[[Alstonia saligna]]'' S.Moore
* ''[[Alstonia scholaris]]'' (L.) R.Br. - Pali-mari, Dita Bark, Bitter Bark, Milkwood, Milky Bean, Milky Pine, White Cheesewood, Blackboard Tree
* ''[[Alstonia sericea]]'' Blume
* ''[[Alstonia setchelliana]]'' Christoph.
* ''[[Alstonia smithii]]'' Markgr.
* ''[[Alstonia somersetensis]]'' F.M.Bailey
* ''[[Alstonia spathulifolia]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia spatulata]]'' Blume - Hard Milkwood, Siamese Balsa
* ''[[Alstonia spectabilis]]'' R.Br. - Poele Bark, Jackapple, Leatherjacket, Milky Yellowwood
* ''[[Alstonia sphaerocapitata]]'' Boiteau
* ''[[Alstonia stenophylla]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia subsessilis]]'' Miq.
* ''[[Alstonia twahigensis]]''
* ''[[Alstonia undulata]]'' Guillaumin
* ''[[Alstonia undulifolia]]'' K.M.Kochummen & K.M.Wong
* ''[[Alstonia venenata]]'' R.Br.
* ''[[Alstonia verticillosa]]'' F.Muell.
* ''[[Alstonia vieillardii]]'' Van Heurck & Müll.Arg.
* ''[[Alstonia villosa]]'' Blume
* ''[[Alstonia vitiensis]]'' Seem.
* ''[[Alstonia yunnanensis]]'' Diels
==References==
*[http://www.tropenbos.nl/docs/nwl17.pdf Recent taxonomy of Alstonia] ([[Portable Document Format|pdf]] file).
* Kade Sidiyasa. Taxonomy, phylogeny, and wood anatomy of Alstonia (Apocynaceae). 230 pp. Blumea, Suppl. 11 (1998), ISBN 90-71236-35-8. (Awarded with the [[Adolf Engler|Engler]] Medal by the International Association for Plant Taxonomy)
* Kade Sidiyasa, A., 3, 1992. A monograph of Alstonia (Apocynaceae).
* Forster, Paul I. - A taxonomic revision of Alstonia (Apocynaceae) in Australia (1992)
[[Category:Apocynaceae]]
[[Category:Trees]]
