''Psoralea'' is a genus in the legume family (
Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,[International Code of Nomen ...](_blank)
) with 111 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa.
[ In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English); fonteinbos, bloukeur, or penwortel (Afrikaans); and umHlonishwa (Zulu).
]
Etymology
The name ‘''Psoralea’'' is derived from the Greek term ‘''Psoraleos’'', which means “affected with itch or with leprosy”. Psoralen
Psoralen (also called psoralene) is the parent compound in a family of naturally occurring organic compounds known as the linear furanocoumarins. It is structurally related to coumarin by the addition of a fused furan ring, and may be considered a ...
occurs naturally in the seeds of '' Psoralea corylifolia'', and is used in PUVA
PUVA (psoralen and UVA) is an ultraviolet light therapy treatment for skin diseases: vitiligo, eczema, psoriasis, graft-versus-host disease, mycosis fungoides, large plaque parapsoriasis, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, using the sensitizing e ...
(psoralen + UVA) treatment, for several diseases including such as psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small localized patches to complete b ...
.
Species
111 species are accepted:[
* '' Psoralea abbottii'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea accrescens''
* '' Psoralea aculeata'' L.
* '' Psoralea acuminata''
* '' Psoralea affinis'' Eckl. & Zeyh.
* '' Psoralea alata'' (Thunb.) T.M.Salter
* '' Psoralea angustifolia'' L'Hér.
* '' Psoralea aphylla'' L.
* '' Psoralea arborea'' Sims
* '']Psoralea arborescens
''Psoralea'' is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 111 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English ...
''
* '' Psoralea argentea''
* ''Psoralea asarina
''Psoralea'' is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 111 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English ...
'' (P.J.Bergius) T.M.Salter
* '' Psoralea axillaris'' L.f.
* '' Psoralea azuroides'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea bolusii''
* '' Psoralea bowieana''
* '' Psoralea bracteolata''
* '' Psoralea brilliantissima'' C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello
* '' Psoralea caffra''
* '' Psoralea candicans''
* ''Psoralea cataracta
''Psoralea cataracta'' is a species of flowering plant in the family ''Fabaceae''. It was declared extinct in 2008 in the Red List of South African Plants, with a single specimen collected from the Tulbagh Waterfall in 1804. It was rediscovered ...
'' C.H.Stirt.
* ''Psoralea congesta
''Psoralea'' is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 111 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English ...
'' C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
* '' Psoralea curtisiae''
* '' Psoralea diturnerae'' A. Bello, C.H. Stirt. & Muasya
* '' Psoralea dreweae''
* '' Psoralea elegans'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea ensifolia'' (Houtt.) Merr.
* '' Psoralea fascicularis'' DC., syns. ''Psoralea tenuifolia'' Thunb. and ''Psoralea thunbergiana'' Eckl. & Zeyh. Psoralea pinnata
''Psoralea pinnata'' is an erect evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to a height between and tall.
Description
This plant has fine deep green linear leaf, leaves that are deeply divided with a length of about . The linear leaf blades oc ...
'' L.
* '' Psoralea platyphylla''
* '' Psoralea plauta'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea polyphylla''
* '' Psoralea polysticta''
* '' Psoralea prodiens''
* '' Psoralea pullata'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea pungens''
* '' Psoralea racemosa''
* '' Psoralea ramulosa'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea repens'' P.J.Bergius
* '' Psoralea restioides'' Eckl. & Zeyh.
* '' Psoralea rhizotoma'' C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
* '' Psoralea rigidula'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea rotundifolia''
* '' Psoralea rubicunda''
* '' Psoralea sabulosa''
* '' Psoralea saxosa''
* '' Psoralea semota'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea sericea''
* '' Psoralea sordida'' C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
* '' Psoralea speciosa'' Eckl. & Zeyh.
* '' Psoralea spicata''
* '' Psoralea spissa''
* '' Psoralea stachyera''
* '' Psoralea striata''
* '' Psoralea suaveolens'' C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
* '' Psoralea swartbergensis''
* '' Psoralea tenuifolia''
* '' Psoralea tenuissima'' E.Mey.
* '' Psoralea thomii''
* '' Psoralea triantha''
* '' Psoralea triflora'' Thunb.
* '' Psoralea trullata'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea uncinata''
* '' Psoralea usitata'' C.H.Stirt.
* '' Psoralea vanberkeliae'' C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
* '' Psoralea velutina''
* '' Psoralea venusta''
* '' Psoralea verrucosa'' Willd. ex Spreng.
* '' Psoralea wilmsii''
* '' Psoralea zeyheri''
References
External links
{{Authority control
Psoraleeae
Tumbleweeds
Fabaceae genera
Flora of the Afrotropical realm
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus