''Perezia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of flowering plants in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

. It is distributed in

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 ...

, especially in the central and southern

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 ...

. Though some species occur at sea level, most ''Perezia'' grow in high-elevation mountain habitat. Species are found in most high Andean ecosystems, except for the

páramo Páramo () can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems located in the Andes Mountain Range, South America. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as "all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline". A narrower ...

. Some species are used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

in South America. ''P. multiflora'' is used to treat

postpartum hemorrhage Postpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood following childbirth. Some have added the requirement that there also be signs or symptoms of low blood volume for ...

, ''P. pinnatifida'' is used as a

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but t ...

, and ''P. purpurata'' is used as an

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as o ...

. There are about 30 to 35 species in the genus. Species include:''Perezia''.
The Plant List. *'' Perezia atacamensis'' *'' Perezia bellidifolia'' *'' Perezia calophylla'' *'' Perezia carduncelloides'' *'' Perezia carthamoides'' *'' Perezia catharinensis'' *'' Perezia ciliaris'' *'' Perezia ciliosa'' *'' Perezia delicata'' *'' Perezia dicephala'' *'' Perezia eryngioides'' *'' Perezia fonkii'' *'' Perezia fosbergii'' *'' Perezia kingii'' *'' Perezia lactucoides'' *'' Perezia linearis'' *'' Perezia lyrata'' *'' Perezia macrocephala'' *'' Perezia magellanica'' *'' Perezia mandoni'' *'' Perezia megalantha'' *'' Perezia multiflora'' – ''escorzonera'', ''chanqoroma'' *'' Perezia nutans'' *'' Perezia pedicularidifolia'' *'' Perezia pilifera'' *'' Perezia pinnatifida'' – ''valeriana'' *'' Perezia poeppigii'' *'' Perezia prenanthoides'' *'' Perezia pungens'' *'' Perezia purpurata'' – ''marancel'' *'' Perezia pygmaea'' *'' Perezia recurvata'' *'' Perezia spathulata'' *'' Perezia squarrosa'' *'' Perezia sublyrata'' *'' Perezia virens'' *'' Perezia volcanensis''

References

External links

*Apodaca, M.J., J.V. Crisci, and L. Katinas. (2015)
Andean Origin and Diversification of the Genus Perezia, an Ancient Lineage of Asteraceae.
Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.

Preliminary Checklist of the Compositae of Bolivia. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

References

External links

Further reading