acokanthera

noun

Meaning

A genus of evergreen shrubs and small trees native to Africa and Asia, known for their highly toxic cardiac glycosides.

Examples

  • Indigenous hunters traditionally extracted poison from the bark of the acokanthera to ensure their arrows were lethal.
  • Botanists warn that the acokanthera should never be planted in gardens where children or pets might ingest its berries.

Synonyms: shrub, poison plant, toxic flora, poison arrow plant