Malesherbia Explained

Malesherbia is a genus of flowering plants consisting of 25 species in the Passifloraceae. This is a xerophytic group endemic to the Peruvian and Chilean deserts and adjacent Argentina. The genus is currently recognized by the APG III system of classification in the family Passifloraceae, and is the sole member of the subfamily Malesherbioideae.^{[1] [2]}

Description

Malesherbia is a genus of herbaceous plants and shrubs.

Flower morphology

Members of Malesherbia have perfect hermaphroditic flowers that come in various shades of red, pink, pale yellow, white, and purple.^[3] These are tube or funnel shaped, with 10 nerves, 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamen and 3-4 styles.^[4] They have either solitary flowers opposite to leaves or inflorescence that look like clusters.

Taxonomy

In 1794, Hipólito Ruiz López and José Antonio Pavón Jiménez would describe Malesherbia.^[5] Malesherbia was distinguished from other genera due to its small five parted limbus, ovulate open jaciniis, five petals that are inserted at the interstices of the throat of the calyx, five oblong and bilocular anthers, three pistils, and several other traits. The genus is named after Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes. In the original description, the type species was not named.

In 1798, Antonio José Cavanilles would describe the genera under Gynopleura. Cavanilles admitted that Malesherbia was described exactly as Gynopleura, however, the seeds of Malesherbia were not described in the original text, and thus Cavanilles felt justified in publishing the genera under Gynopleura.^[6] Cacanilles would, however, establish M. tubulosa as the genera's type species.

Accepted species^[7]

• Malesherbia angustisecta
• Malesherbia ardens
• Malesherbia arequipensis
• Malesherbia auristipulata
• Malesherbia bracteata
• Malesherbia corallina
• Malesherbia densiflora
• Malesherbia deserticola
• Malesherbia fasciculata
• Malesherbia fatimae
• Malesherbia haemantha
• Malesherbia humilis
• Malesherbia lactea
• Malesherbia laraosensis
• Malesherbia linearifolia
• Malesherbia lirana
• Malesherbia paniculata
• Malesherbia scarlatiflora
• Malesherbia solanoides
• Malesherbia splendens
• Malesherbia tenuifolia
• Malesherbia tocopillana
• Malesherbia tubulosa
• Malesherbia turbinea
• Malesherbia weberbaueri

Phylogeny^[8]

Please note, this phylogeny does not include Malesherbia laraosensis. As of 2022, a phylogenetic analysis including M. laraosensis has not been published.

Uses

Medicinal

Malesherbia ardens is used in traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, and asthma.^[9] The entire plant along with Contilo, Arabisca, and Huamanripa are brewed into a tea, which is consumed three times a day.

Distribution

Members of Malesherbia are native to South America, specifically the arid and Andean regions of Perú, Chile and Argentina.^{[10] [11]}

Notes and References

1. Stephens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/
2. Web site: Angiosperm Phylogeny Website . 2022-10-05 . www.mobot.org.
3. Bull-Hereñu . Kester . Ronse De Craene . Louis P. . 2020 . Ontogenetic Base for the Shape Variation of Flowers in Malesherbia Ruiz & Pav. (Passifloraceae) . Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution . 8 . 10.3389/fevo.2020.00202 . 2296-701X . free .
4. Book: Reiche . Karl Friedrich . Flora de Chile . Reiche . Karl Friedrich . 1896 . Impr. Cervantes . Santiago de Chile . 10.5962/bhl.title.611.
5. Book: Ruiz . López . Florae peruvianae, et chilensis prodromus, sive novorum generum plantarum peruvianarum, et chilensium descriptiones, et icones. . Hipólito . Pavón . Jiménez-Villanueva . José Antonio . Madrid: in Sancha's printing press . 1794 . Madrid . 45 . la.
6. Book: Ruiz, Hipólito . Florae peruvianae, et chilensis, sive, Descriptiones, et icones plantarum peruvianarum, et chilensium, secundum systema Linnaeanum digestae, cum characteribus plurium generum evulgatorum reformatis. . [Madrid] : Typis Gabrielis de Sancha. . 1798 . 3 . 2, 30–31 . la.
7. Web site: Malesherbia Ruiz & Pav. Plants of the World Online Kew Science . 2024-06-26 . Plants of the World Online . en.
8. Gengler-Nowak . Karla M. . April 1, 2003 . Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Malesherbiaceae . Systematic Botany . 28 . 2 . 333–44 . 10.1043/0363-6445-28.2.333 . 31 January 2024 . 3094002.
9. Bussmann . Rainer W . Sharon . Douglas . 2006 . Traditional medicinal plant use in Northern Peru: tracking two thousand years of healing culture . Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine . en . 2 . 1 . 47 . 10.1186/1746-4269-2-47 . free . 1746-4269 . 1637095 . 17090303.
10. Gengler-Nowak . Karla . 2002-01-01 . https://doi.org/10.1663/0006-8101(2002)068[0171:ROTBHO2.0.CO;2 Reconstruction of the biogeographical history of Malesherbiaceae ]. The Botanical Review . en . 68 . 1 . 171–188 . 10.1663/0006-8101(2002)068[0171:ROTBHO]2.0.CO;2 . 2664205 . 1874-9372. subscription .
11. Guerrero . Pablo C. . Rosas . Marcelo . Arroyo . Mary T. K. . Wiens . John J. . 2013-07-09 . Evolutionary lag times and recent origin of the biota of an ancient desert (Atacama–Sechura) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . en . 110 . 28 . 11469–11474 . 10.1073/pnas.1308721110 . 0027-8424 . 3710863 . 23798420 . 2013PNAS..11011469G . free .