Pronunciation: [alstˈə͡ʊni͡ə] (IPA) 
The word "alstonia" is pronounced /alˈstoʊniə/ and spelled using the standard English alphabet. The first syllable, "al," rhymes with ball and mall. The second syllable, "sto," sounds like stow with a short o sound. The third syllable, "ni," has a long i sound like night or skylight. The fourth syllable, "a," is pronounced like uh. Alstonia is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae.
Alstonia is a noun that refers to a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs belonging to the family Apocynaceae. This genus includes approximately 40 species distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions, mainly in Asia and Australia.
These plants are characterized by their erect, slender trunks, and their smooth, grayish bark. They typically grow to heights ranging from 10 to 30 meters, and their leaves are arranged in spiral-like patterns, often forming a whorl at the end of branches. The leaves are simple, opposite, and glossy, with entire margins.
The flowers of alstonia plants are usually white or cream-colored, and they are arranged in terminal clusters. These flowers have a pleasant fragrance and are often pollinated by bees and other insects. The fruits are elongated pods containing numerous small seeds with tufts of hair, aiding in their wind dispersal.
Many species of alstonia have various medicinal properties and are used in traditional medicine systems. They contain alkaloids, tannins, and other bioactive compounds with potential anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antimalarial, and antidiarrheal properties. Some species are also used for their timber, as the wood is lightweight, durable, and resistant to termites.
In conclusion, alstonia is a genus of trees and shrubs found in tropical and subtropical regions, known for their slender trunks, glossy leaves, fragrant flowers, and medicinal properties. They play significant roles in traditional medicine and have been used for various purposes, including timber production.
Dita bark, the dried bark of Alstonia scholaris and A. constricta, trees of tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia; bitter tonic, employed in malaria and dysentery in the form of infusion or tincture.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "alstonia" is derived from the name of Charles Alston, an 18th-century Scottish botanist who specialized in the study of plants from Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Alstonia is a genus of trees in the family Apocynaceae, with several species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The genus was named in honor of Charles Alston due to his contributions to the field of botany.
