Blumea is a genus of flowering plants of the family Asteraceae.[3]

Characteristics

Genus Blumea is found in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of Asia, especially the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. A few species are found in Australia and still fewer in Africa.[2][4]

The plants of this genus are mostly relatively small weeds.[5] Some of them are ruderal species.

A few of the species were formerly included in genus Conyza.

Many species of genus Blumea are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Other uses include as decorative dry plants.

Blumea balsamifera (Nat; หนาด) is reputed to ward off spirits in Thai folklore, and is used in Philippines herbal medicine as well.

Blumea axillaris (syn. Blumea mollis) leaf essential oil contains linalool (c. 19%), γ-elemene (c. 12%), copaene (c. 11%), estragole (c.11%), allo-ocimene (c. 10%), γ-terpinene (8%) and allo-aromadendrene (c. 7%). The essential oil had significant toxic effect against early fourth-instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus with LC50 = 71.71 and LC90 = 143.41 ppm.[6]

Other uses of the name

Blumea is also the name of the Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography published by the National Herbarium of the Netherlands.[7]

Species

As of December 2020, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[3]

Bibliography

  • John Lindley & Thomas Moore, The treasury of botany

References

  1. ^ illustration c. 1880 from Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.) - Flora de Filipinas, Gran edicion
  2. ^ a b Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  3. ^ a b c "Blumea DC". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  4. ^ Flora of China Vol. 20-21 Page 829 艾纳香属 ai na xiang shu Blumea Candolle, Arch. Bot. (Paris). 2: 514. 1833.
  5. ^ Oudhia, P., S. S. Kolhe, and R. S. Tripathi. "Allelopathic effect of Blumea lacera L. on rice and common kharif weeds." Oryza 35.2 (1998): 175-177.
  6. ^ Senthilkumar A, Kannathasan K, Venkatesalu V.,"Chemical constituents and larvicidal property of the essential oil of Blumea mollis (D. Don) Merr. against Culex quinquefasciatus." Parasitol Res. 2008 Sep;103(4):959-62
  7. ^ Blumea - Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography, National Herbarium of the Netherlands Archived 2007-08-29 at the Wayback Machine

External links