Ratanhia
/ˌrætəˈniːə/noun
A South American shrub of the genus Krameria, especially Krameria triandra, whose tannin-rich root has been used medicinally.
Did you know?Ratanhia root became an official medicinal ingredient in European pharmacopoeias because its high tannin content could tighten tissue and help control bleeding.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Quechua
ratanya
“A South American plant name, generally identified as the source of the later Spanish term”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
ratania
“The ratanhia or rhatany plant and its medicinal root”
17th–18th Century
French
ratanhia
“Ratanhia; the imported South American medicinal root”
18th Century
English
ratanhia
“The plant or dried root used medicinally as an astringent”
Modern English
English
ratanhia
“A Krameria shrub, or its tannin-rich root used in herbal and pharmaceutical contexts”