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From the standpoint of actual use as insecticides, the jmost important 
species are Derris e lliptica , D. malaccensis , Lonchocarpus urucu . and L. 
utilis. The roots of these plants are at present the chief commercial source 
of rotenone-containing insecticides. Derris roots are cultivated on a large 
scale in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. Lonchocarpus roots are obtained 
from Brazil and Peru. The material from Brazil is largely L. uruc u, gener- 
ally called "timbo"; that from Peru is mostly L. utilis . generally called 
"cube". The latter was formerly classified as L. nicou, but this name has 
been retained for a species found in the Guianas. For a full discussion of 
the common names used in referring to Lonchocarpus species reference is 
made to Roark (41). Roots of Derris elliptic a and the two species of 
Lo nchocarpus are generally high in rotenone, while those of D. malacc ensis, 
though of only moderate rotenone content, usually have a high content of 
other toxic principles. In general the content of active principles in 
other plants is lower than in these commercially used species. 
Amorph a fruticosa is indigenous to the Mississippi Valley. This 
plant is at present under study in this Division. A sample of root from 
Louisiana was found to give no color test for rotenone or rotenoids. 
Some of the Mill etti a species, particularly M. pachycarpa , appear to 
have some local use in China as insecticides. A sample of M. pachycarpa 
from Assam (India) was found to have over 1 percent rotenone but low total 
extractives (11). The specimens of M. dura, M. laurentii , M. mann.ii, 
M. usaramensis , and M. v ersicolor tested for rotenone were from East Africa 
and the Congo. The content of rotenone and rotenoids in these and other 
species of Millettia is in general low. 
Mundulea sericea . widely distributed in tropical Africa, has been 
extensively studied by Worsley (58) . Although the bark has low rotenone 
and total extract contents, Worsley has found that some samples are as toxic 
to insects as derris root of a moderately high rotenone content. 
The genus Tephrosi a is widely distributed, and many species have 
been used as fish poisons. Roark (40) has made a comprehensive review of 
the use of species of T ephrosia as insecticides. Of the species listed 
in table 1, T. arabigua, T. chrysophylla , T. gracil lima, T. hispidula. T, 
la ti dens, T. lin dheiraeri , T. onobrychoides , T. s mallii , T. spicata. and 
T. virginiana are domestic plants. Of these only T. latiden s and T. yir- 
giniana have been found to contain sufficient rotenone or rotenoids to be 
of interest. The latter has been studied extensively (45) and has commercial 
possibilities. The roots of T. macropoda and the leaves of T. vogelii. 
tropical African species, have been used locally as insecticides. The 
leaves of T. vog e_lii , extensively studied from the chemical standpoint 
(4, 18, 56), appear to contain little or no rotenone, but contain deguelin 
and tephrosin. T. toxicari a is distributed throughout tropical America. 
The rotenone content of the roots of this species and of T. m acropod a is 
comparatively low. The other tropical species '^f Tephrosia have only very 
small contents of rotenone and rotenoids. 
