Kingdom Plantae Family Rubiaceae Scientific name Cinchona ledgeriana | Order Gentianales Genus Cinchona Rank Species | |
Similar Cinchona pubescens, Quina, Cinchona lancifolia, Strophanthus kombe, Strophanthus gratus | ||
Cinchona ledgeriana is a plant indigenous to the eastern slopes of the Andes, where they grow from 1,500–3,000 metres (4,900–9,800 ft) in elevation in Colombia and Bolivia.
Specimens grow 15–20 metres (49–66 ft) in height and have large glossy leaves.
It is named after Charles Ledger who discovered the plant as a source of quinine, which is used in the treatment of malaria. Seeds collected by Ledger were subsequently planted in India and Java.
References
Cinchona ledgeriana Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA