{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox |image = Amphipterygium adstringens.jpg |image_caption = |genus = Amphipterygium |species = adstringens |authority = [[Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal]] }} '''''Amphipterygium adstringens''''', or the '''cuachalalate''', is an ancient [[medicinal plant]] that has been commercially used in [[Mexico]] for centuries. Because of its ever-growing popularity and since the most sought after part of the plant is its bark, the cuachalalate was as of 2004 considered an [[endangered species]].<ref name="cib.uaem.mx">{{cite web|url=http://www.cib.uaem.mx/agebiol/bol_junio_julio2004.htm#Cuachalalate |title=Boletín 10 y 11 |access-date=2012-05-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101012154040/http://www.cib.uaem.mx/agebiol/bol_junio_julio2004.htm |archive-date=2010-10-12 }}</ref> The ''Amphipterygium adstringens'' tree's height ranges from 4–8.5 m high. The distinguishing factor of this tree is its bark. Its bark is wrinkled, grayish in color and verrucose, with corky protuberances. Its branches are usually covered with scars of fallen leaves and may be bare or covered with fine hair-like structures. Its leave arrangements is imparipinnate with petioles that average 5.4 cm in length. It usually has 3-7 leaflets leaf. These leaflets have a cuneate base and an obtuse or rounded apex, its margin is dentate or crenate. ''A. adstringens'' can be differentiated from the other members of the ''Amphipterygium'' genus by the shape of its terminal leaflets, which is spathulate, and has dentate margins on the distal half of the leaflet.<ref name="ibugana.cucba.udg.mx">{{cite web|url=http://ibugana.cucba.udg.mx/pdf/ibugana_13%281%29.pdf|title=A revision of the genus Amphipterygium (Julianiaceae)|website=Ibugana.cucba.udg.mx|pages=27–47|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref>
==Distribution== ''Amphypterygium adstringens'' is distributed in central and southern Mexico in deciduous forests,<ref name="cib.uaem.mx"/> near the mountain and pacific slope regions, in the southern center part of the State of [[Jalisco]], [[Michoacán]], [[Morelos]], [[Estado de Mexico]], [[Puebla]], [[Guerrero]] and [[Oaxaca]]. This plant usually blooms in the summer, from June to August, and tends to fructify (produce fruits) from August to January.<ref name="ibugana.cucba.udg.mx"/>
==Habitat and ecology== ''Amphipterygium adstringens'' grows in hot temperatures in deciduous jungles or ''[[Quercus]]'' and ''[[Ilex]]'' forests.<ref name="cib.uaem.mx"/>
==Flowers and fruit== The male inflorescence is about 8.6 cm long. The male flower is actinomorphic. Its floral peduncle averages at .95 cm in length. There are 6-8 sepals on the flower all ranging from 1.2mm-2mm, these are tomentose (covered densely with hair at youngness), but at maturity they are pilose (the hair elongates and softens forming a plush surface). The stamen is short, with a filament averaging at only .28mm in length. The anthers, like the mature sepals, are also covered with long, fine hairs.{{cn|date=July 2025}}The female inflorescence is in raceme about 1.3 cm in length. These generally contain 2-4 flowers. The pistils are bifurcate. The style is cylindrical and about 2–3 mm long.<ref name="ibugana.cucba.udg.mx"/>''Amphipterygium adstringens'' is [[dioecious]], with male and female flowers on separate individuals.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1086/521795|title=Development of Inflorescences, Cupules, and Flowers in ''Amphipterygium'' and Comparison with ''Pistacia''(Anacardiaceae)|year=2007|last1=Bachelier|first1=Julien B.|last2=Endress|first2=Peter K.|journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences|volume=168|issue=9|pages=1237–1253|s2cid=83544619}}</ref>
===Medicinal=== Cuachalalate is a legendary plant in Mexico believed to have curative effects. The most sought after part of the plant is its bark. This bark is believed to cure malaria, stomach cancer, gastric ulcers and kidney sicknesses.<ref name="ibugana.cucba.udg.mx"/> Many people in Mexico also use the Cuachalalate to harden their gums.<ref name=Standley>{{cite book | last =Standley | first =Paul Carpenter | title =Trees and Shrubs of Mexico pt.3 | url =https://archive.org/details/treesshrubsofmex01stan | publisher =Washington, Govt. Print. Off | year =1920 | location =New York | page =[https://archive.org/details/treesshrubsofmex01stan/page/673 673] | isbn =1151260541}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1960736}}
[[Category:Anacardiaceae]] [[Category:Flora of Mexico]] [[Category:Dioecious plants]]