Kingdom Plantae Family Celastraceae Genus Maytenus
Molina | Order Celastrales Subfamily Celastroideae Rank Species | |
Similar Maytenus laevis, Maytenus, Alchornea castaneifolia, Jatropha macrantha, Calliandra angustifolia | ||
Maytenus krukovii is a tree species native to the Amazon rainforest; it grows in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. With a maximum recorded height of about 30 metres (98 ft), and leaves that span up to 30 centimetres (12 in) wide, this large tree contributes significantly to the forest canopy.
In the Quechua languages the tree is called chuchuhuasi (alternately spelled chuchuasi) or chuchuhuasha (alternately spelled chucchu huashu, and sometimes shortened to chuchasha). This name in all its permutations means "trembling back", due to the bark's effectiveness in relieving back pain, as well as the discomforts of arthritis and rheumatism. Indigenous peoples of the Amazon drink decoctions and tinctures of the bark as an herbal tonic of great medicinal value. Bruni et al. (2006) found the bark of M. krukovii to be antioxidant and somewhat antimutagenic. A person can chew the bark, but it tastes very bitter.