cinchona tree

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Word: Cinchona Tree

Definition: The cinchona tree is a small tree that grows in Ecuador and Peru. It has very large, shiny leaves and beautiful clusters of fragrant pink flowers. People grow this tree mainly for its bark, which is used in medicine.

Usage Instructions

• Part of Speech: Noun
• Countability: It is a countable noun, so you can say "a cinchona tree" or "cinchona trees."

Example Sentence

"The cinchona tree is important because its bark is used to make medicine that treats malaria."

Advanced Usage

In more advanced contexts, you might discuss the economic or ecological importance of the cinchona tree, such as: "The cultivation of cinchona trees has significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry due to the alkaloids extracted from their bark."

Word Variants

• Cinchona (noun): Refers to the bark itself, which is often used to make quinine, a drug used to treat malaria.
• Cinchonine (noun): A type of alkaloid extracted from the cinchona bark that has medicinal properties.

Different Meanings

While "cinchona tree" specifically refers to the tree and its bark, the term "cinchona" can also refer to the medicinal products derived from it, such as quinine.

Synonyms

• Quinine tree: Another name for the cinchona tree, emphasizing its use for quinine extraction.
• Peruvian bark: A term often used to refer to the bark of the cinchona tree, especially in a medicinal context.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

There are no widely recognized idioms or phrasal verbs specifically related to the cinchona tree. However, you might encounter phrases in medical contexts that use "quinine" instead.

Summary

The cinchona tree is a valuable plant known for its medicinal bark and beautiful flowers. It is mainly found in South America and has been crucial in the treatment of malaria.

Academic

Noun

1. small tree of Ecuador and Peru having very large glossy leaves and large panicles of fragrant pink flowers; cultivated for its medicinal bark

Synonyms

• cinchona pubescens