Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 17, 2026

Pilocarpus

Pilocarpus is a genus of about 13 species of plants belonging to the family Rutaceae, native to the Neotropics of South America. Various species are important pharmacologically as a source of the parasympathomimetic alkaloid pilocarpine. Many of the species have the common name jaborandi.

Last revised
Jul 17, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
192 w
Citations
2
Source
Pilocarpus
Paraguay Jaborandi (Pilocarpus pennatifolius)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily: Zanthoxyloideae
Genus: Pilocarpus
Vahl
Species

See text.

Pilocarpus is a genus of about 13 species of plants belonging to the family Rutaceae, native to the Neotropics of South America. Various species are important pharmacologically as a source of the parasympathomimetic alkaloid pilocarpine.1 Many of the species have the common name jaborandi.

Etymology

The taxonomic name Pilocarpus is derived from ancient Greek πῖλος wool, felt + καρπός fruit.

Species

Selected species
  • Pilocarpus goudotianus Tul.
  • Pilocarpus jaborandi (Pernambuco jaborandi)
  • Pilocarpus microphyllus (Maranham jaborandi)
  • Pilocarpus racemosus (Guadeloupe jaborandi)
  • Pilocarpus pennatifolius (Paraguay jaborandi)2
  • Pilocarpus spicatus (Aracati jaborandi)
References

References

  1. De Abreu, Ilka Nacif; Sawaya, Alexandra Cristine H. F.; Eberlin, Marcos Nogueira; Mazzafera, Paulo (November–December 2005). "Production of Pilocarpine in Callus of Jaborandi (Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf)". In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant. 41 (6). Society for In Vitro Biology: 806–811. Bibcode:2005IVCDB..41..806A. doi:10.1079/IVP2005711. JSTOR 4293939. S2CID 26058596.
  2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Jaborandi" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 104.
External links