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Browallia

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Browallia
Browallia speciosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Subfamily: Cestroideae
Tribe: Browallieae
Genus: Browallia
L.
Species

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Browallia is a small genus of seven species of flowering plants (mostly annuals though occasionally shrubs or ephemerophytes) belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae.[1] It is named after Johannes Browallius (1707–1755), also known as Johan Browall, a Swedish botanist, physician and bishop.[2] The genus is closely related to the monotypic genus Streptosolen, the single species of which was published initially under the name Browallia jamesonii.

Browallia species are found from southern Arizona in the north, southward through Mexico, Central America and the Antilles to andine South America, reaching as far south as Bolivia.[1]

Species

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'At least 17 binomials, at the specific level, have been proposed for this difficult genus; no doubt that a critical sound treatment is badly needed to clarify its obscure taxonomy' - Armando Hunziker (2001)[1]

Use in Colombian folk medicine

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The Ingano of Mocoa in the Colombian department of Putumayo chew the leaves of Browallia speciosa to a pulp and pack the resultant material around decaying molars to alleviate the pain of toothache.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Armando T. Hunziker: The Genera of Solanaceae. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag K.G., Ruggell, Liechtenstein 2001. ISBN 3-904144-77-4, pps. 87-89 inclusive.
  2. ^ Genaust, Helmut (1976). Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen ISBN 3-7643-0755-2
  3. ^ The Plant List http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Browallia Retrieved 1.57 on 28/2/19
  4. ^ Schultes, Richard Evans and Raffauf, Robert F. The Healing Forest - Medicinal and Toxic Plants of the Northwest Amazonia, pub. Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon (an imprint of Timber Press, Inc.) 1990 ISBN 0-931146-14-3 pps. 418-19.

Further reading

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