Gouania lupuloides

Gouania lupuloides, known as chewstick or whiteroot, is a neotropical plant of the family Rhamnaceae. It is occasionally used as a teeth-cleaning implement.

Description

A woody climber. It grows 7-12 m long. It has tendrils. The young stems are hairy. The leaves are 11 cm long by 7 cm wide. They are often heart shaped at the base. The flowers are as 5-8 in long heads. These are 8-18 cm long. The fruit has 3 wings. They are 5-7 mm long. The seeds are 3-4 mm long.

Edible Uses

The aromatic, bitter stems have been used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer, and are also used to add flavour and body to a range of drinks including soda, ginger beer, root beer, and root tonics. The flavour is described as a very agreeable bitter.

Traditional Uses

The stems are used for flavouring for a cooling drink. The bark is chewed as a stimulant. The bitter stems and chopped to produce foam that is added to ginger beer, root beers and root tonics to add flavour and body.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the root is used in Yucatan as a gargle for sores in the mouth and throat. An infusion of the stem has been used to treat gonorrhoea and dropsy, and as a light, pleasant bitter to restore tone to the stomach in cases of debility.

Distribution

A tropical plant. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Cuba*, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guiana, Haiti, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles*, Mexico, North America, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, South America*, Uruguay, USA, Virgin Islands, West Indies*,

Cultivation

The flowers are much frequented by bees.

Propagation

Propagate from seed.

Other Uses

The stems likely contain saponin and produce large quantities of lather when chewed. They are commonly chewed to clean the teeth and harden the gums. A branch piece roughly the thickness of a little finger is softened by chewing and rubbed against the teeth, functioning simultaneously as a toothbrush and tooth powder. When powdered, the stem makes an excellent dentifrice; its aromatic bitter promotes healthy gums, and its mucilage works up into a soap-like froth during brushing.

Other Information

It is available in local markets.

Notes

There are about 70 Gouania species. They grow in the tropics.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Ahorca buey, Bejuci candlillo rojo, Bejuco indio, Bejuco de sopla, Canelillo negro, Chaw-stick, Chewstick, Chirapa, Chow stick, Jaboncillo, Jabonera, Sgui pu chua, Shuipu chuwa, Soap stick, Soap vine, Sopla, White root

References (12)

• Barfod, A. S. & Kvist, L. P., 1996, Comparative Ethnobotanical Studies of the Amerindian Groups in Coastal Ecuador. The Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. p 79
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 190
• Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 332 (As Gouania domingensis)
• Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., and Seberg, O. 2007, Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. p 278 (As Gouania domingensis)
• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 396

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