Dune Poison-bush

Acokanthera oblongifolia (commonly known as African wintersweet, dune poison bush, Hottentot's poison, poison arrow plant or wintersweet) is a plant in the family Apocynaceae. It grows as an evergreen shrub or small tree up to 6 metres (20 ft) tall. Its fragrant flowers feature a white tinged pink corolla. The berries are purple when ripe. Its habitat is dry forest and coastal thickets. Acokanthera oblongifolia is used in local African medicinal treatments for snakebites, itches and internal worms. The plant has been used as arrow poison. The species is native to Mozambique and South Africa.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is it poisonous?

Considered toxic. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. The note covers its whole genus. All five species in this genus exude a sap containing extremely toxic cardiac glycosides including ouabain, which inhibits the sodium–potassium pump N+/K+-ATPase, a membrane transport protein important for regulating… Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.

Easily confused with

• Acokanthera oppositifolia — considered toxic
• Acokanthera rotundata — considered toxic
• Ilex integra — considered toxic
• Syzygium paucivenium
• Picconia azorica
• Daphnopsis caracasana

Classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Gentianales

Family

Apocynaceae

Genus

Acokanthera

Species

Acokanthera oblongifolia

More species