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# Cinchona calisaya (commonly known as Calisaya bark, yellow cinchona, or quinine tree) is a species of evergreen tree or shrub in the Rubiaceae family. It is renowned for its medicinal properties, particularly as a primary source of quinine, an alkaloid used historically to treat malaria. # Taxonomy: First described by Hugh Algernon Weddell in 1848 (Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3, 10: 6), it belongs to the genus Cinchona, which includes about 23 species. Synonyms include Cinchona ledgeriana (a variety rich in quinine) and Quinquina calisaya. # The bark of C. calisaya, known as "yellow bark" or "calisaya bark," was one of the first species introduced to Europe. Seeds collected from Bolivia in 1846 by Weddell were grown in Paris, marking the first live plants outside South America. # Quinine Discovery: In 1820, French chemists Pierre Joseph Pelletier and Joseph Bienaimé Caventou isolated quinine from cinchona bark, revolutionizing malaria therapy. # Malaria Treatment: Quinine from C. calisaya was the only effective antimalarial until synthetics like chloroquine emerged. # Vintage etching circa late 19th century. Digital restoration by Pictore. Authentic illustration free of AI