Fish-poison-tree
StarPiscidia piscipula
Synonyms: Ichthyomethia piscipula, Piscidia communis, Piscipula erythrina, Ichthyomethia communis, Robinia alata, Erythrina piscidioides, Piscidia erythrina, Piscidia toxicaria, Erythrina piscipula, Piscidia inebrians, Ichthyomethia piscipula var. typica
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In the Caribbean and Central America the crushed bark and twigs of Piscidia piscipula were thrown into pools and lagoons to stupefy fish for easy capture, the source of its common names (Morton, 1981). The bark was also adopted into 19th-century American Eclectic medicine as "Piscidia bark," valued as a sedative and analgesic for insomnia caused by pain, nervous tension, neuralgia, migraine and spasmodic complaints (Felter & Lloyd, 1898). The bark contains rotenoids (piscidin, rotenone) and isoflavones; large doses are toxic and the plant should be used with caution.
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Botanical Description
Piscidia piscipula is a deciduous tree reaching 6 to 15 metres in height, native to the Caribbean, southern Florida, Mexico and Central America. The trunk bears grey to greyish-brown bark, lighter and whitish on the inner surface, and the wood is hard and durable. Leaves are pinnately compound with five to eleven oblong to ovate leaflets that are dark green above and paler, often finely hairy, beneath. Showy pea-like flowers are produced in dense clusters, the petals white to pale pink and streaked with red or purple, appearing as the new foliage emerges. The fruit is a distinctive winged legume pod, 5 to 10 centimetres long, with four longitudinal papery wings and several brown seeds. The species favours coastal woodlands, hammocks and limestone soils. Its common names "fish-poison tree" and "Jamaica dogwood" reflect the long-standing use of the crushed bark and branches to stupefy fish.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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