Mitragyna speciosa
Species of plant
Mitragyna speciosa is a tropical evergreen tree of the Rubiaceae family native to Southeast Asia. It is indigenous to Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea, where its dark green, glossy leaves, known as kratom, have been used in herbal medicine since at least the 19th century. They have also historically been consumed via chewing, smoking, and as a tea. Kratom contains multiple alkaloids that bind to opioid receptors, mostly as partial μ-opioid agonists. Kratom can also be subjectively stimulating to some, though this is likely not achieved through typical stimulant mechanisms, nor is this a universal effect.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Mitragyna speciosa” as species of plant. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of plant. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 11, 2026.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Mitragyna speciosa”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Mitragyna speciosa primary sources, Mitragyna speciosa archive and Mitragyna research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Mitragyna speciosa”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Mitragyna speciosa” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.