botanical record · discovered
Raichie
Melochia tomentosa
Raichie · Tea Bush · Basora Corra · Basora Kòrá · Betonica · Betoonika · Black Torch · Black Widow · Bois champignon · Bretónica afelpada · Bretónica afelpada; Broom weed · Broom wood · Gulf teabush · Malva rosa · Malva-roxa · Pyramid bush · Teabush · Velvety melochia · chichibe · malva de los cerros · teabush
At a glance
Origin / distribution: Venezuela, Curacao, Bahamas
Cultural traditions: not documented
Recorded uses: Eye, Tea, Ache(Back), Refrigerant
Science studied: MELOCHINONE, MELOSATIN-A, MELOSATIN-B
Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗
Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.
Names and identity
Family: Sterculiaceae
Scientific name: Melochia tomentosa
Common names: Raichie, Tea Bush, Basora Corra, Basora Kòrá, Betonica, Betoonika, Black Torch, Black Widow, Bois champignon, Bretónica afelpada, Bretónica afelpada; Broom weed, Broom wood, Gulf teabush, Malva rosa, Malva-roxa, Pyramid bush, Teabush, Velvety melochia, chichibe, malva de los cerros, teabush
POWO: 157023-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone
History
The source record documents this plant in Venezuela, Curacao, Bahamas.
It records these historical or traditional applications:
- Eye
- Tea
- Ache(Back)
- Refrigerant
This summary is limited to the cited source record.
Origins and distribution
- Venezuela
- Curacao
- Bahamas
Documented cultural uses
- Eye
- Tea
- Ache(Back)
- Refrigerant
Cultural record detail
These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.
- Eye · Venezuela · "
- Tea · Curacao · "
- Ache(Back) · Bahamas · "
- Refrigerant · Venezuela · "
Contemporary uses
Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.
Scientific research
Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.
Indexed research records
- A new monopartite begomovirus infecting Melochia tomentosa in Burkina Faso. · 2024 source ↗
- Pollination and breeding system of Melochia tomentosa L. (Malvaceae), a keystone floral resource in the Brazilian Caatinga · 2008 source ↗
- Melosatin D: A New Isatin Alkaloid from Melochia tomentosa Roots. · 1993 source ↗
Scientific compounds
Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.
- MELOCHINONE
- MELOSATIN-A
- MELOSATIN-B
Legality
No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.
Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.
Reference images

Sources
Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP
World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0
show claim source mapping
- identity · DH-SRC-0030
- documented_uses · DH-SRC-0030
- compounds · DH-SRC-0030
- taxonomy · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- common_names · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- countries · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- wfo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0003 · source ↗
- cultural_records · DH-SRC-0030 · source ↗
- powo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0001 · source ↗
- wcvp_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0002 · source ↗
CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive
Contributions and revisions
checking published revisions…
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