''Choisya'' is a small genus of aromatic evergreen

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related orange, both in shape and scent. They are native to southern North America, from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and south through most of Mexico. In its generic name

Humboldt Humboldt may refer to: People * Alexander von Humboldt, German natural scientist, brother of Wilhelm von Humboldt * Wilhelm von Humboldt, German linguist, philosopher, and diplomat, brother of Alexander von Humboldt Fictional characters * ...

and Bonpland honoured Swiss botanist Jacques Denis Choisy (1799–1859).

Description

The species grow to tall. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are opposite, leathery, glossy,

palmately The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

compound with 3-13 leaflets, each leaflet long and broad. ''C. ternata'' has three broad leaflets, while ''C. dumosa'' has up to 13 very narrow leaflets. The flowers are star-shaped, diameter, with 4-7 white

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s, 8-15

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s and a green stigma; they are produced throughout the late spring and summer. The fruit is a leathery two to six sectioned capsule.

Uses

''Choisya'' species are popular ornamental plants in areas with mild winters, grown primarily for their abundant and fragrant flowers. The foliage is also aromatic, smelling of rue when bruised or cut. The flowers are also valued for honeybee forage, producing abundant

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

:- *''Choisya'' × ''dewitteana'' 'Aztec Pearl' *''Choisya'' × ''dewitteana'' = 'Londaz' *''Choisya ternata'' *''Choisya ternata'' = 'Lich'

Chemistry

Many quinoline alkaloids have been isolated from leaves of ''Choisya ternata''. ''C. ternata'' contains an alkaloid (ternanthranin), a volatile simple

anthranilate Anthranilic acid is an aromatic acid with the formula C6H4(NH2)(CO2H) and has a sweetish taste. The molecule consists of a benzene ring, ''ortho''-substituted with a carboxylic acid and an amine. As a result of containing both acidic and basic ...

that can be considered responsible for the

antinociceptive Nociception (also nocioception, from Latin ''nocere'' 'to harm or hurt') is the Somatosensory system, sensory nervous system's process of encoding Noxious stimulus, noxious stimuli. It deals with a series of events and processes required for an org ...

activity of the crude plant extracts.Radulović NS, Miltojević AB, McDermott M, Waldren S, Parnell JA, Pinheiro MM, Fernandes PD, de Sousa Menezes F." Identification of a new antinociceptive alkaloid isopropyl N-methylanthranilate from the essential oil of Choisya ternata Kunth.",''J Ethnopharmacol''. 2011 Mar 21.

Species

*''

Choisya dumosa ''Choisya'' is a small genus of aromatic evergreen shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related orange, both in shape an ...

'' ( Torr.) A.Gray (includes ''C. arizonica'') – starleaf *''

Choisya katherinae ''Choisya'' is a small genus of aromatic evergreen shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related Orange (fruit), orange, bo ...

'' C.H.Müll. *''

Choisya neglecta ''Choisya'' is a small genus of aromatic evergreen shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related orange, both in shape and ...

'' C.H.Müll. *''

Choisya palmeri ''Choisya'' is a small genus of aromatic evergreen shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related Orange (fruit), orange, bo ...

'' Standl. *''

Choisya ternata ''Choisya ternata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, known as Mexican orange blossom or Mexican orange. Description ''Choisya ternata'' is an evergreen shrub, growing up to in height. Its leaves have three leaflets (henc ...

'' Kunth – Mexican orange blossom

Pests and diseases

''Choisya'' can be prone to attack by pythium root rot, particularly when propagated and grown in pots for the horticultural trade. In north-west Europe the main pest is snails, which eat the bark of even mature specimens, resulting in minor die-back of branches where ring-barking has occurred.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1468246 Zanthoxyloideae Zanthoxyloideae genera