| Uncaria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Uncaria gambir | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cinchonoideae |
| Tribe: | Naucleeae |
| Genus: | Uncaria Schreber |
| Type species | |
| Uncaria guianensis | |
| Species | |
~40 species. See text | |
Uncaria is agenus offlowering plants in thefamilyRubiaceae. It has about 40species.[1] Theirdistribution ispantropical, with most speciesnative totropical Asia, three fromAfrica and theMediterranean and two from theneotropics.[2] They are knowncolloquially asgambier,cat's claw oruña de gato. The latter two names are shared with several other plants. Thetype species for the genus isUncaria guianensis.[3]
Indonesian Gambier (U. gambir) is a large tropical vine with leaves typical of the genus, beingopposite and about 10 cm (3.9 in) long. The South AmericanU. tomentosa is called Uña de Gato.Uncaria sinensis is common inChina.
Uncaria wasnamed in 1789 byJohann von Schreber in hisGenera Plantarum edition 8[a] (not to be confused with books of the same title byLinnaeus,Jussieu, and others).[4][5] Thegenus name isderived from theLatin worduncus, meaning "a hook".[6] It refers to the hooks, formed from reduced branches, thatUncariavines use to cling to other vegetation.
Uncaria is a member of thetribeNaucleeae, but itsposition within that tribe remains unresolved.[7]
Woodylianas; climbing by hooks formed from reduced, modified branches.Stipules entire or bifid. Inflorescences are compact heads at the ends of horizontal, very reduced branches.Corolla lobes without appendages. Seeds with a long wing at each end, the lower wing deeply bifid.[8]
As of March 2023[update],Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[9]
DiplomatEdmund Roberts noted that, upon his visit to China in the 1830s, Chinese were usingU. gambir fortanning, and noted that theU. gambir made "leather porous and rotten." He also noted that Chinese would chew it withareca nut.[10] The plantextract contains some 150 identifiedphytochemicals, includingcatechins,proanthocyanins, andchalcone-flavan-3-oldimers, called gambiriins.[11][12] Cat's claw (U. tomentosa) and the ChineseUncaria species are used intraditional medicine, although there is nohigh-quality clinical evidence they have any medicinal properties.[11]
Although cat's claw appears to be safe for human use below 350 milligrams per day over 6 weeks, itsadverse effects may includenausea,diarrhea, upset stomach, and an increased risk of bleeding if used with ananticoagulant drug.[11]
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| Edible plants / roots | |
| Mushrooms | |
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| Resins | |
| Sap / gum / etc. | |
| Other | |
| Related | |
