Turnera diffusa
Turnera
damiana
turnera
petiolate or sessile, often with nectaries;
stipules present or absent.
axillary;
peduncle free or adnate to petiole (flowers epiphyllous);
prophylls persistent.
absent.
mostly distylous;
sepals at least 1/3 connate;
petals yellow or white [salmon, pink, orange, or red], sometimes with dark basal spot;
corona absent;
filaments often with nectaries;
anthers dorsifixed or basifixed.
granulose, rugose, or verrucose [smooth].
reticulate [striate].
= 5, 7, (13).
Turnera diffusa
Turnera
Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).
Turnera diffusa is used extensively as an anticough, diuretic, and aphrodisiac agent. It has antibacterial activity against the most common gastrointestinal diseases of Mexico (T. Hernández et al. 2003). Variety aphrodisiaca (Ward) Urban, with glabrous leaves, grows only in Mexico and West Indies.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 142 (3 in the flora).
I. Urban (1883) divided Turnera into nine series, and M. M. Arbo (2008) added two. Phylogenetic studies (S. Truyens et al. 2005; Arbo and S. M. Espert 2009) indicate that it is monophyletic.
Turnera subulata Smith, with a dark basal spot in the yellow petals, has been collected twice, probably as a garden escape, in Miami-Dade County, southern Florida.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves: petiole without nectaries, blade margins revolute; inflorescences 0.5–0.8 cm, not epiphyllous; filaments adnate for 0.2 mm to base of floral tube, anther pockets absent; anthers dorsifixed. | T. diffusa |
1. Leaves: petiole with nectaries, blade margins not revolute; inflorescences 2–4 cm, epiphyllous; proximal part of filaments adnate by margins to floral tube forming 5 nectar pockets; anthers basifixed | → 2 |
2. Flowers distylous; petals white. | T. coerulea |
2. Flowers homostylous; petals yellow. | T. ulmifolia |
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
