''Brunfelsia'' 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 ...

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 belonging to subfamily

Petunioideae Petunioideae is a subfamily within the family Solanaceae.Thorne, R. F., & Reveal, J. L. (2007). An Updated Classification of the Class Magnoliopsida (“Angiospermae”). Botanical Review, 73(2), 67–181. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4354528 Tax ...

of the nightshade family

Solanaceae Solanaceae (), commonly known as the nightshades, is a family of flowering plants in the order Solanales. It contains approximately 2,700 species, several of which are used as agricultural crops, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants. Many me ...

. The 50 or so species have been grouped into the three sections: ''Brunfelsia'' (circa 22 species), ''Franciscea'' (circa 18 species) and ''Guianenses'' (circa 6 species), which differ significantly in both distribution and characteristics, although molecular data have revealed that only two sections are natural (

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

), namely the Caribbean section ''Brunfelsia'' and a common section for all South American species.Filipowicz, N. and S. S. Renner. 2012
''Brunfelsia'' (Solanaceae): A genus evenly divided between South America and radiations on Cuba and other Antillean Islands.
''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 64 1-11.

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

named the genus for the early German herbalist

Otto Brunfels Otto Brunfels (also known as Brunsfels or Braunfels) (believed to be born in 1488 – 23 November 1534) was a German theologian and botanist. Carl von Linné listed him among the "Fathers of Botany". Life After studying theology and philosophy ...

(1488–1534). Otto Brunfels 2

Common names for the genus include raintree, yesterday-today-tomorrow and lady of the night.''Brunfelsia''.
USDA PLANTS. ''Brunfelsia'' spp. are

neotropical The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeogra ...

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, small trees and (rarely)

liana A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...

s. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, and usually oval in shape. The large flowers have salverform corollas with five broad lobes and narrow tubes. Typical habitat for wild species is light woodland and thickets.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by French botanist and churchman

Charles Plumier Charles Plumier (; 20 April 1646 – 20 November 1704) was a French botanist after whom the frangipani genus '' Plumeria'' is named. Plumier is considered one of the most important of the botanical explorers of his time. He made three botanizing ...

ex L. and published in ''

Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genus, genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial nomenclature ...

'' 1: 191 in the year 1753. The type species is ''Brunfelsia americana''.

Description

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 or small trees, without thorns. Leaves simple, entire and petiolate (stalked). Inflorescences in subterminal fascicles or flowers borne singly in

leaf axils 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, fl ...

, often showy and sometimes also night-scented,

zygomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spir ...

;

calyx CALYX, Inc. is a non-profit publisher of art and literature by women founded in 1976 based in Corvallis, Oregon. CALYX publishes both '' CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women'' twice a year and CALYX Books, which publishes one to three ...

campanulate, 5-lobed to approximately half its length; corolla hypocrateriform (having

salver A salver is a flat heavy tray of silver, other metal or glass used for carrying or serving glasses, cups, and dishes at a table, or for the presenting of a letter or card by a servant. In a royal or noble household the fear of poisoning led to ...

-shaped limb above narrow tube), 5-lobed;

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s 4, anthers oblong or elliptical, included and dehiscing longitudinally;

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

bilocular. Fruit a corky

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

Ornamental use

Species in cultivation include ''

Brunfelsia americana ''Brunfelsia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to subfamily Petunioideae of the nightshade family Solanaceae. The 50 or so species have been grouped into the three sections: ''Brunfelsia'' (circa 22 species), ''Franciscea'' (circa 18 spe ...

'' and '' Brunfelsia pauciflora''. '' Brunfelsia australis'' is being actively promoted by growers for its tricolored blooms and

drought resistance In botany, drought tolerance is the ability by which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions. Some plants are naturally adapted to dry conditions'','' surviving with protection mechanisms such as desiccation tole ...

. As its specific name suggests, ''B. australis'' is the ''Brunfelsia'' species with the most southerly distribution, the plant occurring as far south as the Argentinian province of

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

Chemistry and Toxicity

Like many other species belonging to the Solanaceae, some (possibly all) members of this genus contain toxic and medicinal

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

s. These are known to be poisonous to domestic animals such as cats, dogs, and horses due to their brunfelsamidine content.''Brunfelsia''.
Toxic and Nontoxic Plants. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Toxicity in dogs manifests with

strychnine Strychnine (, , American English, US chiefly ) is a highly toxicity, toxic, colorless, bitter, crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, ...

-like gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiac symptoms. The roots of certain ''Brunfelsia'' species have been designated as containing compounds hazardous to human health according to a compendium published in 2012 by the

European Food Safety Authority The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain. EFSA was established in February 2002 ...

. These compounds include

indole alkaloid Indole alkaloids are a class of alkaloids containing a structural moiety of indole; many indole alkaloids also include isoprene groups and are thus called terpene indole or secologanin tryptamine alkaloids. Containing more than 4100 known differ ...

s of the β-carboline group such as

harmine Harmine is a β-carboline and a harmala alkaloid. It occurs in a number of different plants, most notably ''Peganum harmala'' and ''Banisteriopsis caapi''. Harmine reversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme which breaks down mono ...

tetrahydroharmine Tetrahydroharmine (THH) is a fluorescent indole alkaloid and β-carboline that occurs in the tropical liana species ''Banisteriopsis caapi''. Effects THH has been reported to produce psychoactive effects similar to those of harmaline in human ...

harmaline Harmaline, also known as 7-methoxyharmalan or as 3,4-dihydro-7-methoxy-1-methyl-β-carboline, is a fluorescent indole alkaloid from the group of harmala alkaloids and β-carbolines. It is the partly hydrogenated form of harmine. It is a rever ...

, manacine, manaceine, and also derivatives of

N,N-dimethyltryptamine Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), also known as ''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (''N'',''N''-DMT), is a serotonergic hallucinogen and investigational drug of the tryptamine family that occurs naturally in many plants and animals, including humans. ...

and

amidines Amidines are organic compounds with the functional group RC(NR)NR2, where the R groups can be the same or different. They are the imine derivatives of amides (RC(O)NR2). The simplest amidine is formamidine, HC(=NH)NH2. Examples of amidines incl ...

such as pyrrole 3-carboximidamide. According to early accounts in the literature, symptoms of poisoning by the medicinal species ''B. grandiflora'' include

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to Balance disorder, disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a ...

exhaustion Exhaust, exhaustive, or exhaustion may refer to: Law *Exhaustion of intellectual property rights, limits to intellectual property rights in patent and copyright law **Exhaustion doctrine, in patent law ** Exhaustion doctrine under U.S. law, in ...

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...

hypersalivation Hypersalivation or hypersialosis is the excessive production of saliva. It has also been defined as increased amount of saliva in the mouth, which may also be caused by decreased clearance of saliva.Medscape > HypersalivationBy Erica Brownfield. P ...

muscle weakness Muscle weakness is a lack of muscle strength. Its causes are many and can be divided into conditions that have either true or perceived muscle weakness. True muscle weakness is a primary symptom of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases, includ ...

lethargy Lethargy is a state of tiredness, sleepiness, weariness, fatigue, sluggishness, or lack of energy. It can be accompanied by depression, decreased motivation, or apathy. Lethargy can be a normal response to inadequate sleep, overexertion, overw ...

facial nerve paralysis Facial nerve paralysis is a common problem that involves the paralysis of any structures innervated by the facial nerve. The pathway of the facial nerve is long and relatively convoluted, so there are a number of causes that may result in facia ...

, mouth pains, swollen tongue,

numbness Hypoesthesia or numbness is a common side effect of various medical conditions that manifests as a reduced sense of touch or sensation, or a partial loss of sensitivity to Sensory receptor, sensory stimuli. In everyday speech this is generally r ...

in the extremities,

paraesthesia Paresthesia is a sensation of the skin that may feel like numbness (''hypoesthesia''), tingling, pricking, chilling, or burning. It can be temporary or chronic and has many possible underlying causes. Paresthesia is usually painless and can oc ...

s (including tingling and feelings of unbearable coldness)

tremor A tremor is an involuntary, somewhat rhythmic muscle contraction and relaxation involving neural oscillations, oscillations or twitching movements of one or more body parts. It is the most common of all involuntary movements and can affect the h ...

s, and

blurred vision Blurred vision is an ocular symptom where vision becomes less precise and there is added difficulty to resolve fine details. Temporary blurred vision may involve dry eyes, eye infections, alcohol poisoning, hypoglycemia, or low blood pressur ...

. At higher dose, there are reports of

delirium Delirium (formerly acute confusional state, an ambiguous term that is now discouraged) is a specific state of acute confusion attributable to the direct physiological consequence of a medical condition, effects of a psychoactive substance, or ...

, sustained

mental confusion In psychology, confusion is the quality or emotional state of being bewildered or unclear. The term "acute mental confusion"

, and possible

blindness Visual or vision impairment (VI or VIP) is the partial or total inability of visual perception. In the absence of treatment such as corrective eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment, visual impairment may cause the individual difficul ...

. Modern reports have compared the experience to the effects of an overdose of

nicotine Nicotine is a natural product, naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreational drug use, recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As ...

upon non-smokers.http://entheology.com/plants/brunfelsia-grandiflora-brunfelsia/ Retrieved at 9.52 on 26/8/20.

Species

Species include:Species Records of ''Brunfelsia''.
Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). *''

'' – American brunfelsia, lady-of-the-night *'' Brunfelsia australis'' – Jasmine of

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

*'' Brunfelsia chiricaspi'' – ''chiricaspi'' *'' Brunfelsia densifolia'' – Serpentine Hill raintree *'' Brunfelsia grandiflora'' – largeflower brunfelsia, ''chiricsanango'' *'' Brunfelsia jamaicensis'' *'' Brunfelsia lactea'' – vega blanca *'' Brunfelsia latifolia'' *'' Brunfelsia membranacea'' *'' Brunfelsia nitida'' – Cuban raintree *'' Brunfelsia pauciflora'' *'' Brunfelsia plowmaniana'' *'' Brunfelsia portoricensis'' – Puerto Rican raintree *'' Brunfelsia splendida'' *'' Brunfelsia uniflora'' – ''manacá''

Legal status

United States

Louisiana

Except for

ornamental Ornamental may refer to: *Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration *Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work *Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...

purposes, growing, selling or possessing ''Brunfelsia'' spp. is prohibited by

Louisiana State Act 159 Signed into law June 28, 2005, and effective August 8, 2005, Louisiana State Act No 159 found in, Louisiana RS 40:989.1, outlawed the cultivation, possession or sale of 40 named plants defined as hallucinogenic in the state of Louisiana, US. House ...

Gallery

File:Brunfelsia americana1C2000.jpg, ''

'' File:Starr 060325-6728 Brunfelsia australis.jpg, '' Brunfelsia australis'' : age-related colour-change of flower. File:Starr 070830-8232 Brunfelsia australis.jpg, '' Brunfelsia australis'' : ripening coriaceous berry, showing accrescent calyx. File:Brunfelsia uniflora.jpg, '' Brunfelsia uniflora'' : mid-shot of plant in flower. File:Brunfelsia undulata1MTFL.jpg, '' Brunfelsia undulata'' : foliage and attractive flowers with long corolla tubes and characteristic undulate corolla lobe margins. File:Brunfelsia grandiflora 1.jpg, '' Brunfelsia grandiflora'' : flowering branch seen in profile, showing buds and single bloom. File:Brunfelsia plowmaniana type specimen.jpg, '' Brunfelsia plowmaniana'' : type specimen of ''Brunfelsia'' species named in honour of ''Brunfelsia'' expert the late Dr.

Timothy Plowman Timothy Charles Plowman (November 17, 1944 – January 7, 1989) was an American ethnobotanist best known for his intensive work over the course of 15 years on the genus ''Erythroxylum'' in general, and the cultivated coca species in particula ...