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<big>''[[Alchornea hirtella]]'' Benth.</big>

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Alchornea hirtella'' (PROTA)}}

:Protologue: Hook., Niger Fl.: 507 (1849).

:Chromosome number: ''n'' = 9

== Origin and geographic distribution ==

The dried root bark of ''Alchornea hirtella'' yields 1.5 mg/g crude alkaloids and the dried stem bark 0.15 mg/g, both with the imidazopyrimidine alkaloid alchorneine as major component. Alchorneine causes parasympathic paralysis of autonomous ganglions because of its strong inhibition of both the vagus nerve and intestinal peristalsis in anaesthetized dogs.

Spindly, scandent to straggling shrub or small tree up to 9(–12) m tall, usually dioecious; bark smooth, pale grey; young shoots long hairy to shortly appressed hairy. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules 2–5 mm long, bristly hairy; petiole 0.5–2(–3.5) cm long, thickened at base, bent at top; blade elliptical to oblanceolate, 5–20(–25) cm × 2–8.5 cm, base cuneate, apex shortly acuminate, margins remotely and shallowly glandular-toothed, glandular at base, glabrous to roughly hairy, pinnately veined. Male inflorescence a usual terminal panicle up to 30 cm long, bracts minute; female inflorescence a terminal, lax spike up to 10 cm long, few-flowered, bracts c. 2 mm long, glandular at base. Flowers unisexual, sessile; male flowers with 2 cup-shaped, reflexed, reddish sepals, petals absent, stamens 8, filaments united into a basal plate; female flowers with 5 lanceolate, c. 1.5 mm long, acute, slightly toothed sepals, petals absent, ovary superior, 3-lobed, c. 1 mm × 1.5 mm, smooth, shortly hairy, styles 3, up to 2 cm long, united at base, red. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule 5–9 mm × 7–8 mm, smooth, dark green, slightly shortly hairy, 3-seeded. Seeds ovoid to almost globose, c. 4.5 mm × 4 mm, smooth, shiny, pale brown and mottled.

== Ecology ==

== Author(s) ==

== Correct citation of this article ==

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