''Euphrasia'', or eyebright, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of about 450

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition o ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', '' Striga'') were formerly included in ...

(formerly included in the

Scrophulariaceae The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scr ...

), with a

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The extr ...

. They are semi-parasitic on

grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns ...

and other plants. The common name refers to the plant's use in treating eye

infection An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable di ...

s. Many species are found in

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

or sub-alpine meadows where snow is common. Flowers usually are borne terminally, are

zygomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spirall ...

, and have a lower petal shaped like a lip. The most common flower colours are purple, blue-white, and violet. Some species have yellow markings on the lower petal to act as a guide to pollinating insects. Alternative names, mainly in

herbalism Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...

, are ''Augentrostkraut, Euphrasiae herba, Herba Euphrasiae'' and ''Herbe d'Euphraise''.

Use in herbalism and medicine

The plant was known to classical

herbalist Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

s, but then was not referred to until mentioned again in 1305.

Nicholas Culpeper Nicholas Culpeper (18 October 1616 – 10 January 1654) was an English botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer.Patrick Curry: "Culpeper, Nicholas (1616–1654)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) His book ...

assigned it to the

Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pa ...

sign Leo, claiming that it strengthened the brain. It was also used to treat bad

memory Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remember ...

and

vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...

. In the Elizabethan era, the plant was used in ales, and

Gervase Markham Gervase (or Jervis) Markham (ca. 1568 – 3 February 1637) was an English poet and writer. He was best known for his work '' The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman'', first publishe ...

's ''Countrie Farm'' (1616) said that one should "Drinke everie morning a small draught of Eyebright wine." Herbalists use eyebright as a

poultice A poultice, also called a cataplasm, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth and placed over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. It can be used on wounds, such as cuts. 'Poultice ...

with or without concurrent administration of a tea for the redness, swelling, and visual disturbances caused by

blepharitis Blepharitis is one of the most common ocular conditions characterized by inflammation, scaling, reddening, and crusting of the eyelid. This condition may also cause swelling, burning, itching, or a grainy sensation when introducing foreign object ...

, and

conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, outermost layer of the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may ...

. The herb is also used for

eyestrain Eye strain, also known as asthenopia (from Greek ''a-sthen-opia'', grc, ἀσθενωπία, ), is a common eye condition that manifests through non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, blurred vision, headache, and ...

and to relieve inflammation caused by

colds The common cold or the cold is a virus, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the Respiratory epithelium, respiratory mucosa of the human nose, nose, throat, Paranasal sinuses, sinuses, and larynx. Si ...

cough A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages that can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex following three pha ...

sinus infection Sinusitis, also known as rhinosinusitis, is inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses resulting in symptoms that may include thick nasal mucus, a plugged nose, and facial pain. Other signs and symptoms may include fever, headac ...

sore throat Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. Usually, causes of sore throat include * viral infections * group A streptococcal infection (GAS) bacterial infection * pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat) * tonsi ...

s, and

hay fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...

. Parts used include the leaf, the stem, and small pieces of the flowers. Typical preparations include a

warm compress A warm compress is a method of applying heat to the body. Heating sources can include warm water, microwaveable pads, wheat packs and electrical or chemical pads. Some unorthodox methods can include warmed potatoes, uncooked rice, and hard-boiled ...

, or tea. Eyebright preparations are also available as an extract or capsule. A 2010 report from the

European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products. Prior to 2004, it was known as the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products or Euro ...

on the efficacy of Euphrasia remedies states:

From the presence of secondary metabolites, an astringent and anti-inflammatory activity can be hypothesized for Euphrasia preparations. The ocular use of Euphrasia is based upon tradition. However, since the efficacy of the claimed ocular uses is undocumented and external eye application is not hygienic, therapeutic use cannot be recommended.

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the genera of

Rhinantheae Rhinantheae is a tribe with less than 20 genera of herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae. Phylogeny The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using DNA markers. Three assemblages can be distinguished in this tribe: * ...

has been explored using molecular characters. ''Euphrasia'' belongs to the core Rhinantheae. ''Euphrasia'' is the sister genus to ''

Odontites ''Odontites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae. Phylogeny The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters. ''Odontites'' belongs to the core Rhinantheae. It is the sister genus t ...

'', '' Bellardia'', '' Tozzia'', and ''

Hedbergia ''Hedbergia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants, initially classified in Scrophulariaceae, and now within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae. It contains a unique species, ''Hedbergia abyssinica''. It is an afromontane genus, widespread i ...

''. In turn, these five genera share phylogenetic affinities with ''

Bartsia ''Bartsia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae. Bartsia grows in damp places, such as marshes and wet meadows, in several parts of the west of England and Wales and in southwest Scotland. Etymology ''Bartsia'' was name ...

''.

Taxonomy and identification

The genus ''Euphrasia'' is taxonomically complicated due to many species being interfertile and prone to hybridisation. Despite there having been a number of taxonomic revisions the appropriate rank of many taxa, as well as the relationships between them, remains unclear.

Selected species

* '' Euphrasia × aequalis'' * '' Euphrasia alpina'' * '' Euphrasia alsa'' F.Muell. * '' Euphrasia anglica'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia arctica'' Lange ex Rostrup **'' Euphrasia arctica'' subsp. ''arctica'' (''E.borealis'' auct. non (F.Towns.) Wettsd.) **'' Euphrasia arctica'' sybsp. ''borealis'' (F.Towns) Yeo * '' Euphrasia arguta'' – believed

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

, rediscovered 2008 * '' Euphrasia azorica'' * '' Euphrasia brevipila'' * '' Euphrasia calida'' * '' Euphrasia cambrica'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia campbelliae'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia collina'' R.Br. – purple eyebright ** ''Euphrasia collina'' ssp. ''muelleri'' – Mueller's eyebright ** ''Euphrasia collina'' ssp. ''osbornii'' – Osborn's eyebright * '' Euphrasia confusa'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia coreana'' W.Becker – Korean eyebright * '' Euphrasia cuneata'' – North Island eyebright * '' Euphrasia crassiuscula'' Gand * '' Euphrasia fabula'' * '' Euphrasia fennica'' * '' Euphrasia foulaensis'' F.Towns. ex Wettst * '' Euphrasia fragosa'' – shy eyebright, Southport eyebright * '' Euphrasia frigida'' Pugsley – cold-weather eyebright * '' Euphrasia gibbsiae'' ** ''Euphrasia gibbsiae'' subsp. ''psilantherea'' * '' Euphrasia glabrescens'' * '' Euprasia grandiflora'' * '' Euphrasia heslop-harrisonii'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia hirtella'' * '' Euphrasia hudsoniana'' – Hudson's eyebright * '' Euphrasia insignis'' Wettst * '' Euphrasia kingii'' * '' Euphrasia lasianthera'' – hairy eyebright * '' Euphrasia marshallii'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia micrantha'' Rchb. * '' Euphrasia minima'' * '' Euphrasia nemorosa'' (Pers.) Wallr. – common eyebright * '' Euphrasia officinalis coll.'' – doctor's eyebright, or medical eyebright * '' Euphrasia officinalis L'' – ''see'' ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' * '' Euphrasia oakesii'' – Oakes' eyebright * '' Euphrasia ostenfeldii'' (Pugsley) Yeo * '' Euphrasia parviflora'' * '' Euphrasia pseudokerneri'' Pugsley – chalk eyebright * '' Euphrasia randii'' – small eyebright * '' Euphrasia rivularis'' Pugsley * ''

Euphrasia rostkoviana ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' (synonym ''Euphrasia officinalis''),
in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database also ...

'' Hayne – red eyebright, "

figwort The genus ''Scrophularia'' of the family Scrophulariaceae comprises about 200 species of herbaceous flowering plants commonly known as figworts. Species of ''Scrophularia'' all share square stems, opposite leaves and open two-lipped flowers for ...

" **''

Euphrasia rostkoviana ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' (synonym ''Euphrasia officinalis''),
in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database also ...

'' subsp. ''rostkoviana'' **''

Euphrasia rostkoviana ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' (synonym ''Euphrasia officinalis''),
in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database also ...

'' subsp. ''montana'' (Jord.) Wettst. * '' Euphrasia rotundifolia'' Pugsley * '' Euphrasia ruptura'' –

* '' Euphrasia salisburgensis'' Funk. * '' Euphrasia scabra'' R.Br. – rough eyebright * '' Euphrasia scottica'' Wettst. * '' Euphrasia semipicta'' – peninsula eyebright * '' Euphrasia striata'' R.Br. * '' Euphrasia stricta'' D.Wolff ex J.F.Lehm. * '' Euphrasia subarctica'' – arctic eyebright * '' Euphrasia suborbicularis'' – roundleaf eyebright * '' Euphrasia tatrae'' * '' Euphrasia tetraquetra'' (Bréb.) . * '' Euphrasia vernalis'' * '' Euphrasia × vestita'' * '' Euphrasia vigursii'' Davey * '' Euphrasia × villosa'' * '' Euphrasia vinacea'' – glacier eyebright * '' Euphrasia zelandica'' * ''Euphrasia'' sp. 'Bivouac Bay' – Bivouac Bay eyebright

Footnotes

References

{{Authority control Orobanchaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Parasitic plants