''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of

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 and small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s belonging to the nightshade family

Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...

. Species are native from

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

to south

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. They are found in the forests of Mexico and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. Their hummingbird-pollinated

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are tubular or trumpet-shaped, and may be blue, purple, red, yellow, or white, becoming pulpy

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

. The cupular (cup-shaped) calyx is inflated in some species. 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 alternate, simple, and entire.Armando T. Hunziker: The Genera of Solanaceae. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag K.G., Ruggell, Liechtenstein 2001. pps. 220-226De Witt, S. and Baum, David A. 2006. Phylogenetics of the Florally Diverse Andean Clade Iochrominae ( Solanaceae ) American Journal of Botany 93(8): 1140–1153. Iochromas are cultivated as flowering ornamentals and in cooler zones (zones 7–8/9) make useful patio shrubs for summer display or conservatory plants. The majority are not frost-hardy and must be overwintered under protection. In warmer zones (zones 9–10) they can be used as landscape plants. They are commonly trained as standards ( topiary) to control their size and shape. Iochroma flowers attract hummingbirds (Americas only) and bees to gardens. Like many plants in the Solanaceae, ''Iochroma'' species contain

phytochemicals Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poison ...

with potential pharmaceutical value but the genus has not been exhaustively studied in this respect. ''Iochroma fuchsioides'' is taken by the medicine men of the

Kamsa Kamsa ( sa, कंस, Kaṃsa, translit-std=IAST) was the tyrant ruler of the Vrishni kingdom, with its capital at Mathura. He is variously described in Hindu literature as either a human or an asura; The Puranas describe him as an asura, whi ...

Indians of the

Sibundoy Sibundoy (Camsá: Tabanok "village") is a town and municipality in the Putumayo Department of the Republic of Colombia. The town existed well before the Spanish came in 1534. The Inca, under Huayna Cápac, conquered the local people in 1492 and ...

valley in the Colombian

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

for difficult diagnoses, the unpleasant side effects lasting several days. A variety of

withanolide Withanolides are a group of at least 300 naturally occurring steroids built on an ergostane skeleton. They occur as secondary metabolites primarily in genera of the Nightshade family, for example in the tomatillo. Structurally, withanolides co ...

s and hydroxycinnamic acid amides have been isolated from ''Iochroma'' species.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Iochroma'' was established by George Bentham in 1845. Like other plant families, the Solanaceae is divided further into subfamilies, tribes and subtribes. ''Iochroma'' is in the subtribe Iochrominae along with the genera '' Dunalia'', ''

Eriolarynx ''Eriolarynx'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, found in Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina. Their trumpet-shaped flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds, and to a lesser extent, bees. Species Currently accepted species ...

'', ''

Saracha ''Saracha'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. It is in the Solanoideae subfamily. It is native to Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The genus name of ''Saracha'' is in honour of Isidoro Saracha (1 ...

'' and '' Vassobia''. , ''Acnistus'', previously treated as a separate genus, was regarded as a synonym of ''Iochroma''.

Species

Acnistus arborescens, known as Hollow Heart (11425729463)

The genus is currently divided into three sections. ,

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepts the following species: Section ''Iochroma'' *''

Iochroma albianthum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' S.Leiva *''

Iochroma ayabacense ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' S.Leiva *''

Iochroma calycinum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' Benth. *''

Iochroma confertiflorum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' (Miers) Hunz. *''

Iochroma cornifolium ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' (Kunth) Miers *'' Iochroma cyaneum'' (Lindl.) M.L.Green *'' Iochroma edule'' S.Leiva *''

Iochroma fuchsioides ''Iochroma fuchsioides'' is an ''Iochroma'' species found in Ecuador and Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean ...

'' (Bonpl.) Miers *'' Iochroma gesnerioides'' (Kunth) Miers *'' Iochroma loxense'' Miers *''

Iochroma nitidum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' S.Leiva & Quip. *'' Iochroma peruvianum'' (Dunal) J.F.Macbr. *'' Iochroma piuranum'' S.Leiva *''

Iochroma salpoanum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-po ...

'' S.Leiva & Lezama *'' Iochroma schjellerupii'' S.Leiva & Quip. *'' Iochroma squamosum'' S.Leiva & Quip. *'' Iochroma stenanthum'' S.Leiva, Quip. & N.W.Sawyer *'' Iochroma tingoanum'' S.Leiva *'' Iochroma tupayachianum'' S.Leiva Section ''Lehmannia'' *'' Iochroma ellipticum'' (Hook.f.) Hunz. *''

Iochroma lehmannii ''Iochroma lehmannii'' is a species of plant in the family Solanaceae. It is Endemism, endemic to Ecuador, specifically in the Chimborazo Province in the High Andes. Its flowers are yellow-green.Page ''Iochroma lehmannii'' http://www.tropicos.org ...

'' Bitter Section ''Spinosa'' *'' Iochroma parvifolium'' (Roem. & Schult.) D'Arcy Unclassified *''

Iochroma amicorum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' M.A.Cueva, S.D.Sm. & S.Leiva *''

Iochroma arborescens ''Iochroma arborescens'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Iochroma'', belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Formerly it was considered the single species in the Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus ''Acnistus''. Common names i ...

'' (L.) J.M.H.Shaw *'' Iochroma barbozae'' S.Leiva & Deanna *'' Iochroma baumii'' S.D.Sm. & S.Leiva *'' Iochroma brevistamineum'' Dammer *''

Iochroma cachicadanum ''Iochroma'' is a genus of about 34 species of shrubs and small trees belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Species are native from Mexico to south Brazil. They are found in the forests of Mexico and South America. Their hummingbird-poll ...

'' S.Leiva *'' Iochroma lilacinum'' S.Leiva & K.Lezama *'' Iochroma longipes'' Miers *'' Iochroma lyciifolium'' Dammer *'' Iochroma mionei'' S.Leiva & S.D.Sm. *'' Iochroma ortizianthum'' S.Leiva & Deanna *'' Iochroma richardianthum'' S.Leiva *'' Iochroma rubicalyx'' S.Leiva & Jara *'' Iochroma smithianum'' K.Lezama, Limo & S.Leiva *'' Iochroma solanifolium'' Dammer *'' Iochroma viridescens'' S.Leiva *'' Iochroma warscewiczii'' Regel

Former species

Species formerly placed in the genus ''Iochroma'' include: *''Iochroma australe'' Griseb. (Bolivia, Argentina) → '' Eriolarynx australis'' *''Iochroma cardenasianum'' Hunz. → '' Trompettia cardenasiana'' *''Iochroma grandiflorum'' Benth. → '' Trozelia grandiflora'' *''Iochroma umbellatum'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Hunz. → '' Trozelia umbellata''

Cultivation

Several forms of ''Iochroma'' (some wild collected, some garden hybrids) have been given cultivar names. Some of the cultivars have been assigned to species but others, mainly hybrids, have not. There may be some synonymy in this list.Shaw, J. M. H. (1998) "A Review of Iochroma in Cultivation". ''New Plantsman'' 5(3): 154–192. * ''Iochroma calycinum'' 'Vlasta’s Surprise' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Album' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Apricot Belle' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Indigo' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Karl Hartweg' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'John Miers' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Royal Blue' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Royal Queen' = ''I. cyaneum'' 'Indigo' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Sky King' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Trebah' * ''Iochroma cyaneum'' 'Woodcote White' * ''Iochroma gesnerioides'' 'Coccineum' * ''Iochroma gesnerioides'' var. ''flavum'' * ''Iochroma'' 'Ashcott Red' * ''Iochroma'' 'Burgundy Bells' * ''Iochroma'' 'Frosty Plum' * ''Iochroma'' 'Ilie’s Plum' * ''Iochroma'' 'Plum Beauty' * ''Iochroma'' 'Plum Delight' * ''Iochroma'' 'Purple Haze' * ''Iochroma'' 'Ruby Red' (''I. cyaneum'' 'Royal Blue' x ''I''. 'Sunset') * ''Iochroma'' 'Sunset' * ''Iochroma'' 'Wine Red'

References

External links

(2008): Iochroma - an annotated list of the species and cultivar

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2300865, from2=Q2706011 Iochroma, Solanaceae genera Garden plants of South America