Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. - syn.Euonymus atropurpurea Jacq. - Celastraceae - burning bush, (eastern) wahoo

Deciduous shrub, native to eastern and central North America, cultivated as ornamental; leaves dark green, elliptic to ovate, turning beautiful green-red in fall; flowers small, purple; fruit a four-lobed capsule (each lobe with a single seed), pink to scarlet red. \\
[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euonymus_atropurpureus]]

"Although the bark, leaves and fruits of eastern wahoo were formerly used for a variety of medicinal purposes, all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Atropurpureus in Latin means dark purple in probable reference to the color of the fruits and fall foliage. Also sometimes commonly called burning bush." \\
[[http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k240]]

"The root bark of Euonymus atropurpurea Jacq., has been investigated and the presence of at least seven different digitaloids was demonstrated by the use of color reactions and pharmacological tests on frogs. Separation of the glycosides was accomplished by fractionation on a cellulose column and by chromatography on large sheets of filter paper impregnated with formamide. The name euatroside is proposed for one of the glycosides isolated for structural study." \\
[Cardiac glycosides of Euonymus atropurpurea jacq. I. Detection, separation, and isolation., Bliss, C. A., Ramstad, E., Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Vol.46(1), 1957, 15-18]

"Wahoo Root Bark of Commerce is derived from this rather ornamental species... Formerly used as a cathartic and diuretic, ...used for dropsy and dyspepsia, fever, hepatosis, secondary syphilis, and uterosis." \\
[CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Duke, James A., 1990, 187]

{{euonymus_atropurpureus.jpg?500}} \\
Krauss, J.C., Afbeeldingen der fraaiste, meest uitheemsche boomen en heesters, t. 16 (1840) [J.C. Krauss] \\
[[http://plantillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=416823]]