Buddleja americana
Encyclopedia
Buddleja americana is the most widespread of all the Buddleja
species native to the Americas, its range extending south from Tamaulipas
, Mexico
, through Central America
and much of the West Indies into South America
, reaching eastward to Venezuela
, westward as far as the Galapagos, and south to Bolivia
. It occurs at elevations from sea level to 2500 m, in a variety of habitats, including cloud forest, mountain savanna, pine - oak forest, and rocky slopes near rivers. It also invades fields and roadsides.
The species was originally named and described by Linnaeus in 1753.
, bearing leaves which vary greatly in size, shape and indumentum
. The inflorescence
s are 5 – 25 cm long, with one or two orders of branches. The flowers are borne in cymule
s, the short (< 2.5 mm) corollas yellow inside and white outside. As with the other American species of Buddleja, B. americana is tetraploid (2n = 76).
glycosides which have shewn much promise in the treatment of cancers and a wide range of other disorders.
Buddleja
Buddleja, often misspelled Buddleia but commonly known as the Butterfly Bush, is a genus of flowering plants. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus honours the Reverend Adam Buddle , a botanist and rector in Essex, England, but who could never have seen a plant of the genus.-Classification:The...
species native to the Americas, its range extending south from Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, through Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and much of the West Indies into South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, reaching eastward to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, westward as far as the Galapagos, and south to Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. It occurs at elevations from sea level to 2500 m, in a variety of habitats, including cloud forest, mountain savanna, pine - oak forest, and rocky slopes near rivers. It also invades fields and roadsides.
The species was originally named and described by Linnaeus in 1753.
Description
B. americana is a trioecious shrub, 2 – 5 m tall with light brown fissured bark. The young branches are subquadrangular, and tomentoseTomentose
Tomentose is a term used to describe plant hairs that are flattened and matted, forming a woolly coating known as tomentum. Often the hairs are silver or gray-colored...
, bearing leaves which vary greatly in size, shape and indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are 5 – 25 cm long, with one or two orders of branches. The flowers are borne in cymule
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s, the short (< 2.5 mm) corollas yellow inside and white outside. As with the other American species of Buddleja, B. americana is tetraploid (2n = 76).
Cultivation
The species is not cold hardy, and quickly killed by temperatures only marginally below freezing.Uses
The species (and the genus as a whole) contain secondary metabolites such as flavonoids and iridoidIridoid
Iridoids are a class of secondary metabolites found in a wide variety of plants and in some animals. They are monoterpenes biosynthesized from isoprene and they are often intermediates in the biosynthesis of alkaloids. Chemically, the iridoids usually consist of a cyclopentane ring fused to a...
glycosides which have shewn much promise in the treatment of cancers and a wide range of other disorders.