Fagonia

''Fagonia'' is a genus of wild, flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, having about 34 species. The latest reorganization of the genus took place in 2021 when systematists Christenhusz & Byng included ''Fagonia spp''.. along with several other Zygophyllum genera, into a new genus named "''Zygophyllum'' L." Species occurring in the US are commonly referred to as fagonbushes. The distribution of the genus includes parts of Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Mid-East, India, and parts of the Americas. ''Fagonia'' species have been used ethnobotanically by traditional practitioners under Ayurvedic and other TM healing regimes for many maladies. Species occur in deserts, dry washes, ditches and on rocky outcrops, including at altitude.

'' Fagonia laevis'' is a perennial herb of the United States desert southwest. It has opposite leaves, trifoliate with spinescent stipules, a lavender corolla and smooth fruits. Under cultivation, ''F. indica'' has been found to have a long taproot and to its growth slowing where temperatures dipped below 65 F.

Commercial ''Fagonia'' products available on the web should be viewed with caution by reason of there being little to no authentication as to species contained therein, based on DNA analysis. It may be that all ''Fagonia'' species contain medicinal compounds but that has yet to be established . Research carried out at Quaid-i-Azam U. in Pakistan found that all six Pakistani ''Fagonia'' species, both the verified (per B.-A. Beier's 2005 reorganization of the genus) and unverified ones, were represented in commercial ''Fagonia'' products in the Islamabad marketplace. Plant systematists caution that species other than ''Fagonia'', as well as other, unrelated material, can be present in commercial preparations.

Numerous scientific papers cite ''Fagonia cretica'' as the species studied. However, due to the re-ordering of ''Fagonia'' species by Beier in 2005, researchers have found that they have actually been studying another ''Fagonia'' species, instead, most commonly, ''Fagonia indica''.

In 2022, researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State U., determined that an acid-hydrolyzed extract of F. indica was much more effective than an aqueous extract at causing MCF-7 breast cancer cell death and inhibiting further cell multiplication.

Species

, Plants of the World Online accepts the following species:

*'' Fagonia acerosa'' Boiss.
*'' Fagonia arabica'' L.
*'' Fagonia bruguieri'' DC.
*'' Fagonia californica'' Benth.
*'' Fagonia charoides'' Chiov.
*'' Fagonia chilensis'' Hook. & Arn.
*'' Fagonia cretica'' L.
*'' Fagonia densa'' I.M.Johnst.
*'' Fagonia densispina'' Beier & Thulin
*'' Fagonia glutinosa'' Delile
*'' Fagonia gypsophila'' Beier & Thulin
*'' Fagonia hadramautica'' Beier & Thulin
*'' Fagonia harpago'' Emb. & Maire
*'' Fagonia indica'' Burm.f.
*'' Fagonia laevis'' Standl. (syn. ''Fagonia californica'') – California fagonbush
*'' Fagonia lahovarii'' Volkens & Schweinf.
*'' Fagonia latifolia'' Delile
*'' Fagonia latistipulata'' Beier & Thulin
*'' Fagonia longispina'' Batt.
*''Fagonia luntii'' Baker
*'' Fagonia mahrana'' Beier
*'' Fagonia minutistipula'' Engl.
*'' Fagonia mollis'' Delile
*'' Fagonia olivieri'' DC.
*'' Fagonia orientalis'' C.Presl
*'' Fagonia pachyacantha'' Rydb. – sticky fagonbush
*'' Fagonia palmeri'' Vasey & Rose
*'' Fagonia paulayana'' J.Wagner & Vierh.
*'' Fagonia scabra'' Forssk.
*'' Fagonia scoparia'' Brandegee
*'' Fagonia spinosissima'' Blatt. & Hallb.
*'' Fagonia subinermis'' Boiss.
*'' Fagonia villosa'' D.M.Porter
*'' Fagonia zilloides'' Humbert

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile

Mediterranean Species:
Refers to 30 species & medical history/common names
- goredsea.com

Rosid genera

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