RAUWOLFIA

noun Etymology: New Latin, from Leonhard Rauwolf died 1596 German botanist Date: 1752 any of a genus ( Rauvolfia syn. Rauwolfia ) of pantropical trees and shrubs of the dogbane family that yield medicinal alkaloids (as reserpine), the dried root or an extract from the root of a ~ (especially Rauvolfia serpentina of Asia) used chiefly in the treatment of hypertension