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Withania
''Withania'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, with 19 to 23 species that are native to parts of North Africa, western Asia, south Asia, southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. ''Withania'' was initially included within ''Physalis'' by Linnaeus in 1753 but has since become its own genus. This grouping was due to the shared feature of an inflated Calyx (botany), Calyx that surrounds and protects the fruit. Two of the species, ''W. somnifera'' (ashwagandha) and ''W. coagulans'' (ashutosh booti), are economically significant, and are cultivated in several regions for their medicinal uses. Etymology ''Withania'' is thought to have been named in honour of Henry Witham, a British geologist and writer on fossil botany beginning in 1830. Species 19 species are accepted. * ''Withania adpressa'' Coss. ex Batt. * ''Withania adunensis'' Friedrich Karl Max Vierhapper, Vierh. * ''Withania aristata'' * ''Withania chamaesarachoides'' * ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Withania Somnifera
''Withania somnifera'', known commonly as ashwagandha, is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae family that is native to the Middle East and North Africa, other African regions, southern Europe, and Indian subcontinent. Several other species in the genus '' Withania'' are morphologically similar. Common names include Indian ginseng and winter cherry. ''W. somnifera'' is a short shrub 35–75 cm tall with tomentose branches, dull green elliptic leaves up to 10–12 cm long, small green bell-shaped flowers, and orange-red ripe fruit. The Latin species name ''somnifera'' means “ sleep-inducing,” while the name ashwagandha combines the Sanskrit words for “horse” and “smell,” referring to the root’s strong horse-like odor. It is cultivated mainly in dry regions of India and nearby countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Yemen, preferring dry, stony soil with sun to partial shade, and is propagated from seeds in early spring or greenwood cuttings later. It is aff ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
