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Wide Anchor 83 Home About Services Botany & Identification Origins & Traditional Use Conservation & Supply Contact Plant, place & cultural context The Iboga Plant: Botany, Origins And Traditional Use A careful introduction to Tabernanthe iboga : a rainforest shrub of Central Africa, a culturally significant sacrament in Bwiti traditions, and a plant whose modern attention raises questions of evidence, safety, and conservation. This independent resource distinguishes documented botanical and cultural information from unproven therapeutic claims. 01 / botanical identity What is the iboga plant? Iboga is the common name for Tabernanthe iboga , a perennial rainforest shrub in the Apocynaceae family, the same broad family that includes periwinkle. It is a distinct plant species, not simply another name for isolated ibogaine. 1.5–5m typical height The botanical classification places Tabernanthe iboga among evergreen shrubs or small trees. A concise species overview records its accepted name and West Central African origin, while the Britannica plant entry similarly distinguishes the shrub from the compound most often discussed in contemporary literature. This evergreen shrub typically reaches 1.5 to 5 meters. Its glossy green leaves grow in opposite pairs along branches, giving the iboga tree a dense, bushy appearance. Yellow flowers and small oval orange-yellow fruits are among its visible features. Its root system supplies the root material most associated with traditional preparation. The bark is especially important because iboga root bark contains a notable concentration of alkaloids, although smaller amounts also occur in stems and leaves. 02 / forest ecology Where does iboga grow naturally? The iboga plant is native to the rainforests of West Central Africa, particularly Gabon, Cameroon, and the Republic of Congo. Its natural habitat is the humid, tropical forest floor, where rich, well-drained soils and steady moisture support growth. Gabon is cent