Calea (plant) explained

Calea is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae.^[1] They are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions^[2] in Mexico, Central America, and South America.^{[3] [4]}

Extracts of Calea species have had antifungal, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, larvicidal, antiplasmodial, and antihypertensive effects in experiments.^[2] Some species are used in traditional medicine and ritual. Calea clematidea is used to treat influenza. Calea ternifolia is used in Mexico to treat dysentery and fever, and native peoples use it to influence their dreams.^[3]

Species

161 species are accepted.

Names brought to synonymy:

• Calea elegans DC., a synonym for Perymenium acuminatum, a plant found in Mexico

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11834566#page/396/mode/1up Linnaeus, Carl von. 1763. Species Plantarum, Editio Secunda 2: 1179
2. do Nascimento, A. M., et al. (2007). Chromanones with leishmanicidal activity from Calea uniflora. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 62(5-6), 353-56.
3. Ferraz, A., et al. (2009). Pharmacological and genotoxic evaluation of Calea clematidea and Calea uniflora. Latin American Journal of Pharmacy 28(6), 858-62.
4. Pozo, P. and D. N. Hind. (2013). A new species of Calea sect. Meyeria (Compositae: Heliantheae: Neurolaeninae), Calea woodii, from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Kew Bulletin 68, 1-5.