Condurango bush

Marsdenia condurango, also known as condurango bush, is a liana species native to South America and belongs to the genus Marsdenia, which contains a total of over 250 species and is mainly native to tropical South America (Peru, Ecuador). It is also cultivated in East Africa.

The strong shrub has hairy shoots with hairy leaves. The flowers of the condurango shrub are small and green-white in colour. They have a bell-shaped crown and umbel-shaped inflorescences. The seeds of the plant are found in the bell-shaped fruits. The drug of the shrub used in medicines consists of the tubular pieces of bark up to 5 mm thick, which are covered on the outside with a grey layer. Due to the vanillin it contains, the condurango bush exudes a pleasant, slightly sweetish smell. The taste of condurango is scratchy and slightly bitter.

Marsdenia condurango is the parent plant of Condurango cortex