Which species is “Kratom & its relatives”?
The kratom-adjacent market sells several species under kratom-evoking names: kratom itself (Mitragyna speciosa), its congeners hirsuta and javanica — whose mitragynine content is unresolved-to-absent — and sakae naa (Combretum quadrangulare), an unrelated tree.
The species behind the name
- Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa
Mitragyna speciosa — the only species consistently characterized by substantial mitragynine; the pharmacology the word “kratom” actually refers to.
- Hirsuta
Mitragyna hirsuta Havil.
Mitragyna hirsuta (kra thum khok) — oxindole-alkaloid chemistry; whether it naturally contains mitragynine is an unresolved research question.
- Javanica
Mitragyna diversifolia (Wall. ex G.Don) Havil.
Mitragyna diversifolia (“javanica”) — mitrajavine-associated chemistry; same unresolved-mitragynine caveat; M. javanica is a synonym, not a separate species.
- Sakae Naa
Combretum quadrangulare Kurz
Combretum quadrangulare (sakae naa) — not a Mitragyna at all; no mitragynine; CNS pharmacology essentially uncharacterized; subject of an FDA import alert.
How to tell what a product actually is
- Products sold as hirsuta or javanica may contain M. speciosa (kratom), blends, or misidentified material — dried, powdered Mitragyna leaf cannot be reliably identified visually.
- DNA authentication plus quantitative alkaloid profiling (mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, plus each species' marker alkaloids) is the analytical standard for this category.
- “Red / Green / White” designations across all of these are commercial grades or vendor naming conventions, not validated chemotypes.
The documented safety difference
The documented risk is identity uncertainty itself: a “non-kratom” label does not establish the absence of kratom's opioid-active alkaloids in the bag. Until a product's alkaloid content is verified, co-use cautions that apply to kratom apply here too.
Documentation
Educational use only. This page explains species identity — it makes no claim that any species works for anything, and it is never a place to decide what to take. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you take medication, talk to your clinician or pharmacist before adding any botanical, whichever species it turns out to be.