Malesherbia

Malesherbia is a genus of flowering plants consisting of 25 species in the Passifloraceae. This is a xerophytic group endemic to the Peruvian and Chilean deserts and adjacent Argentina. The genus is currently recognized by the APG III system of classification in the family Passifloraceae, and is the sole member of the subfamily Malesherbioideae.^[1][2]

Malesherbia
Malesherbia linearifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Passifloraceae
Subfamily:	Malesherbioideae Burnett
Genus:	Malesherbia Ruiz & Pav.
Type species
Malesherbia tubulosa Cav.
Species
25 species, see text
Range of Malesherbia as of 2023
Synonyms
Gynopleura Cav.

Description

Malesherbia paniculata

Malesherbia is a genus of herbaceous plants and shrubs.

Flower morphology

Members of Malesherbia have perfect hermaphroditic flowers that come in various shades of red, pink, pale yellow, white, and purple.^[3] These are tube or funnel shaped, with 10 nerves, 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamen and 3-4 styles.^[4] They have either solitary flowers opposite to leaves or inflorescence that look like clusters.^[4]

Taxonomy

In 1794, Hipólito Ruiz López and José Antonio Pavón Jiménez would describe Malesherbia.^[5] Malesherbia was distinguished from other genera due to its small five parted limbus, ovulate open jaciniis, five petals that are inserted at the interstices of the throat of the calyx, five oblong and bilocular anthers, three pistils, and several other traits.^[5] The genus is named after Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes.^[5] In the original description, the type species was not named.

In 1798, Antonio José Cavanilles would describe the genera under Gynopleura. Cavanilles admitted that Malesherbia was described exactly as Gynopleura, however, the seeds of Malesherbia were not described in the original text, and thus Cavanilles felt justified in publishing the genera under Gynopleura.^[6] Cacanilles would, however, establish M. tubulosa as the genera's type species.

Accepted species

Source:^[7]

• Malesherbia angustisecta Harms
• Malesherbia ardens J.F.Macbr.
• Malesherbia arequipensis Ricardi
• Malesherbia auristipulata Ricardi
• Malesherbia bracteata Phil.
• Malesherbia corallina Muñoz-Schick & R.Pinto
• Malesherbia densiflora Phil.
• Malesherbia deserticola Phil.
• Malesherbia fasciculata D.Don
• Malesherbia fatimae Weigend & H.Beltrán
• Malesherbia haemantha Harms
• Malesherbia humilis Poepp.
• Malesherbia lactea Phil.
• Malesherbia laraosensis H.Beltrán & Weigend
• Malesherbia linearifolia (Cav.) Poir.
• Malesherbia lirana Gay
• Malesherbia paniculata D.Don
• Malesherbia scarlatiflora Gilg
• Malesherbia solanoides Meyen
• Malesherbia splendens Ricardi
• Malesherbia tenuifolia D.Don
• Malesherbia tocopillana Ricardi
• Malesherbia tubulosa (Cav.) J.St.-Hil.
• Malesherbia turbinea J.F.Macbr.
• Malesherbia weberbaueri Gilg

Phylogeny

Source:^[8]

Turnera Outgroup M.lactea M.fasciculata Section Cyanpetal M.linearifloria M.paniculata Section Parvistella M.humilis Section Xeromontana M.densiflora M.deserticola M.solanoides v. solanoides M.lirana v. lirana M.lirana v. subglab. M.solanoides v. rugosa M.bracteata v. campanulata M.bracteata v. bracteata Section Malesherbia M.tubulosa M.scarlatiflora M.splendens M.weberbaueri M.haemantha M.auristipulata M.turbinea M.tocopillana M.ardens M.arequipensis M.angustisecta M.tenuifolia

Please note, this phylogeny does not include Malesherbia laraosensis. As of 2022, a phylogenetic analysis including M. laraosensis has not been published.

Uses

Medicinal

Malesherbia ardens is used in traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, and asthma.^[9] The entire plant along with Contilo, Arabisca, and Huamanripa are brewed into a tea, which is consumed three times a day.^[9]

Distribution

Members of Malesherbia are native to South America, specifically the arid and Andean regions of Perú, Chile and Argentina.^[10][11]