''Agathosma'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of about 140 species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Rutaceae The Rutaceae () is a family (biology), family, commonly known as the rueRUTACEAE
in Bo ...

, native to the southern part of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

. Common names include buchu, boegoe, bucco, bookoo, and diosma. Buchu formally denotes two

herbal A herbal is a book containing the names and descriptions of plants, usually with information on their medicinal, Herbal tonic, tonic, culinary, toxic, hallucinatory, aromatic, or Magic (paranormal), magical powers, and the legends associated wi ...

species, prized for their fragrance and medicinal use despite their toxicity. In

colloquial Colloquialism (also called ''colloquial language'', ''colloquial speech'', ''everyday language'', or ''general parlance'') is the linguistic style used for casual and informal communication. It is the most common form of speech in conversation amo ...

use however, the term (see Boegoe) is applied to a wider set of fragrant shrubs or substitutes. They are small

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

s and

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is often interch ...

s, mostly with erect woody stems reaching tall, but low-growing and prostrate in some species. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are usually opposite, ericoid, often crowded, simple, entire, from long. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are produced in terminal clusters, diameter, with five white, pink, red or purple, petals. Many of the species are highly aromatic, and the genus name means "good fragrance". Some species of the genus are used as

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

al remedies.

Uses

Two species of ''Agathosma'' endemic to the Western Cape mountains of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and colloquially referred to as "buchu" are cultivated on a commercial basis for their essential oils, ''Agathosma betulina'' and ''Agathosma crenulata''. The leaves of ''Agathosma betulina'' have been used in traditional medicine. Bottled agathosma infusions were widely sold in English-speaking countries as "buchu tea" in the 1860s and 1870s. Although demand declined in the 1880s, consumption has continued to the present day; as of 2012, bottled infusions continue to be prepared from agathosma leaves. In addition, traditional buchu tinctures can be prepared by placing leaves and stalks into brandy. "Buchu vinegar", prepared by steeping the leaves and stalks in vinegar, also is a traditional remedy used for example in compresses and also taken internally.Watt, John Mitchell, Breyer-Brandwijk, Maria Gerdina: The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa 2nd ed Pub. E & S Livingstone 1962 The essential oil is used in the manufacture of flavorings and perfume. There appear to be differences in people's perceptions of the smell, possibly determined genetically, rather than by familiarity or nurture. Some people find the smell to be repulsive, while most find it pleasantly herbal. This is not particularly unusual in reaction to the smells of many aromatic Karoo shrubs.

Gallery

Agathosma commercially grown 01.jpg, Buchu (''Agathosma'') being commercially grown in the Groot Winterhoek mountains of the Western Cape Agathosma apiculata0.jpg, ''Agathosma apiculata''

Selected species

:^{List sources :}^,N O T E : In spite of the fact that ''A. villosa'' has been designated as the type species of the genus ''Agathosma'', The Plant List regards it to be a synonym of ''A. glabrata'' ^, * ''Agathosma abrupta, A. abrupta'' Pillans * ''Agathosma acocksii, A. acocksii'' Pillans * ''Agathosma acutissima, A. acutissima'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma adenandriflora, A. adenandriflora'' Schltr. * ''Agathosma adnata, A. adnata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma aemula, A. aemula'' Schltr. * ''Agathosma affinis, A. affinis'' Sond. * ''Agathosma alaris, A. alaris'' Cham. * ''Agathosma alligans, A. alligans'' I.Williams * ''Agathosma alpina, A. alpina'' Schltr. * ''Agathosma alticola, A. alticola'' Schltr. ''ex'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma anomala, A. anomala'' E.Mey. ''ex'' Sond. * ''Agathosma apiculata, A. apiculata'' E.Mey. ''ex'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma asperifolia, A. asperifolia'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma barnesiae, A. barnesiae'' Compton * ''Agathosma bathii, A. bathii'' (Dümmer) Pillans * ''Agathosma betulina, A. betulina'' (P.J.Bergius) Pillans * ''Agathosma bicolor, A. bicolor'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma bicornuta, A. bicornuta'' R.A.Dyer * ''Agathosma bifida, A. bifida'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma bisulca, A. bisulca'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma blaerioides, A. blaerioides'' Cham. * ''Agathosma bodkinii, A. bodkinii'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma capensis, A. capensis'' (L.) Dümmer * ''Agathosma capitata, A. capitata'' Sond. * ''Agathosma cedrimontana, A. cedrimontana'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma cephalodes, A. cephalodes'' E.Mey. ''ex'' Sond. * ''Agathosma cerefolia, A. cerefolia'' (Vent.) Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma ciliaris, A. ciliaris'' (L.) Druce * ''Agathosma ciliata, A. ciliata'' (L.) Link * ''Agathosma clavisepala, A. clavisepala'' R.A.Dyer * ''Agathosma collina, A. collina'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma concava, A. concava'' Pillans * ''Agathosma conferta, A. conferta'' Pillans * ''Agathosma cordifolia, A. cordifolia'' Pillans * ''Agathosma corymbosa, A. corymbosa'' (Montin) G.Don * ''Agathosma craspedota, A. craspedota'' E.Mey. ''ex'' Sond. * ''Agathosma crassifolia, A. crassifolia'' Sond. * ''Agathosma crenulata, A. crenulata'' (L.) Pillans * ''Agathosma decurrens, A. decurrens'' Pillans * ''Agathosma dentata, A. dentata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma dielsiana, A. dielsiana'' Schltr. ''ex'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma distans, A. distans'' Pillans * ''Agathosma divaricata, A. divaricata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma dregeana, A. dregeana'' Sond. * ''Agathosma elata, A. elata'' Sond. * ''Agathosma elegans, A. elegans'' Cham. * ''Agathosma eriantha, A. eriantha'' (Steud.) Steud. * ''Agathosma esterhuyseniae, A. esterhuyseniae'' Pillans * ''Agathosma florida, A. florida'' Sond. * ''Agathosma florulenta, A. florulenta'' Sond. * ''Agathosma foetidissima, A. foetidissima'' (Bartl. & H.C.Wendl.) Steud. – Bokboegoe * ''Agathosma foleyana, A. foleyana'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma fraudulenta, A. fraudulenta'' Sond. * ''Agathosma geniculata, A. geniculata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma giftbergensis, A. giftbergensis'' E.Phillips * ''Agathosma glabrata, A. glabrata'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma glandulosa, A. glandulosa'' (Thunb.) Sond. * ''Agathosma gnidiiflora, A. gnidiiflora'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma gonaquensis, A. gonaquensis'' Eckl. & Zeyh. – Gonaqua buchu * ''Agathosma hirsuta, A. hirsuta'' Pillans * ''Agathosma hirta, A. hirta'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma hispida, A. hispida'' (Thunb.) Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma hookeri, A. hookeri'' Sond. * ''Agathosma humilis, A. humilis'' Sond. * ''Agathosma imbricata, A. imbricata'' (L.) Willd. * ''Agathosma insignis, A. insignis'' (Compton) Pillans * ''Agathosma involucrata, A. involucrata'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma joubertiana, A. joubertiana'' Schltdl. * ''Agathosma juniperifolia, A. juniperifolia'' Bartl. * ''Agathosma kougaensis, A. kougaensis'' Pillans * ''Agathosma krakadouwensis, A. krakadouwensis'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma lanceolata, A. lanceolata'' (L.) Engl. * ''Agathosma lancifolia, A. lancifolia'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma latipetala, A. latipetala'' Sond. * ''Agathosma leptospermoides, A. leptospermoides'' Sond. * ''Agathosma linifolia, A. linifolia'' (Licht. ''ex'' Roem. & Schult.) Licht. ''ex'' Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma longicornu, A. longicornu'' Pillans * ''Agathosma marifolia, A. marifolia'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma marlothii, A. marlothii'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma martiana, A. martiana'' Sond. * ''Agathosma microcalyx, A. microcalyx'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma microcarpa, A. microcarpa'' (Sond.) Pillans * ''Agathosma minuta, A. minuta'' Schltdl. * ''Agathosma mirabilis, A. mirabilis'' Pillans * ''Agathosma mucronulata, A. mucronulata'' Sond. – Buchu * ''Agathosma muirii, A. muirii'' E.Phillips * ''Agathosma mundtii, A. mundtii'' Cham. & Schltdl. * ''Agathosma namaquensis, A. namaquensis'' Pillans * ''Agathosma odoratissima, A. odoratissima'' (Montin) Pillans * ''Agathosma orbicularis, A. orbicularis'' (Thunb.) Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma ovalifolia, A. ovalifolia'' Pillans * ''Agathosma ovata, A. ovata'' (Thunb.) Pillans – False buchu * ''Agathosma pallens, A. pallens'' Pillans * ''Agathosma pattisonae, A. pattisonae'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma peglerae, A. peglerae'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma pentachotoma, A. pentachotoma'' E.Mey. ''ex'' Sond. * ''Agathosma perdita, A. perdita'' Hutch. * ''Agathosma phillipsii, A. phillipsii'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma pilifera, A. pilifera'' Schltdl. * ''Agathosma planifolia, A. planifolia'' Sond. * ''Agathosma propinqua, A. propinqua'' Sond. * ''Agathosma puberula, A. puberula'' (Steud.) Fourc. * ''Agathosma pubigera, A. pubigera'' Sond. * ''Agathosma pulchella, A. pulchella'' (L.) Link * ''Agathosma pungens, A. pungens'' (E.Mey. ''ex'' Sond.) Pillans * ''Agathosma purpurea, A. purpurea'' Pillans * ''Agathosma recurvifolia, A. recurvifolia'' Sond. * ''Agathosma rehmanniana, A. rehmanniana'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma riversdalensis, A. riversdalensis'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma robusta, A. robusta'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma roodebergensis, A. roodebergensis'' Compton * ''Agathosma rosmarinifolia, A. rosmarinifolia'' (Bartl.) I.Williams * ''Agathosma rubricaulis, A. rubricaulis'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma rudolphii, A. rudolphii'' I.Williams * ''Agathosma sabulosa, A. sabulosa'' Sond. * ''Agathosma salina, A. salina'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Agathosma scaberula, A. scaberula'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma sedifolia, A. sedifolia'' Schltdl. * ''Agathosma serpyllacea, A. serpyllacea'' Licht. ''ex'' Schult. * ''Agathosma serratifolia, A. serratifolia'' (Curtis) Spreeth * ''Agathosma sladeniana, A. sladeniana'' Glover * ''Agathosma spinescens, A. spinescens'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma spinosa, A. spinosa'' Sond. * ''Agathosma squamosa, A. squamosa'' (Willd. ''ex'' Roem. & Schult.) Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma stenopetala, A. stenopetala'' (Steud.) Steud. * ''Agathosma stenosepala, A. stenosepala'' Pillans * ''Agathosma stilbeoides, A. stilbeoides'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma stipitata, A. stipitata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma stokoei, A. stokoei'' Pillans * ''Agathosma subteretifolia, A. subteretifolia'' Pillans * ''Agathosma tabularis, A. tabularis'' Sond. * ''Agathosma thymifolia, A. thymifolia'' Schltdl. * ''Agathosma trichocarpa, A. trichocarpa'' Holmes * ''Agathosma tulbaghensis, A. tulbaghensis'' Dümmer * ''Agathosma umbonata, A. umbonata'' Pillans * ''Agathosma unicarpellata, A. unicarpellata'' (Fourc.) Pillans * ''Agathosma venusta, A. venusta'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Pillans * ''Agathosma villosa, A. villosa'' (Willd.) Willd. (type (biology), type) * ''Agathosma virgata, A. virgata'' (Lam.) Bartl. & H.L.Wendl. * ''Agathosma zwartbergensis, A. zwartbergensis'' Pillans

Notes

References

* . * .

External links

Fernkloof photos

''A. pungens photos''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2619350 Zanthoxyloideae genera Zanthoxyloideae