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 2018 when systematists Christenhusz & Byng, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew (UK) 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 North & South America. ''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 similar medicinal compounds but that has yet to be established . Research carried out at Quaid-i-Azam U. in Pakistan found that three Pakistani ''Fagonia'' species, both the verified (per B.-A. Beier's 2005 reorganization of the genus) and unverified ones, were represented in commercial ''Fagonia'' (Dramas) 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 considered ''Fagonia'' to be a synonym of ''Zygophyllum''. Species formerly placed in ''Fagonia'' include:

*''Fagonia acerosa'' Boiss. = '' Zygophyllum acerosum''
*''Fagonia arabica'' L. = '' Zygophyllum arabicum''
*''Fagonia bruguieri'' DC. = '' Zygophyllum bruguieri''
*''Fagonia californica'' Benth. = '' Zygophyllum californicum''
*''Fagonia charoides'' Chiov. = '' Zygophyllum charoides''
*''Fagonia chilensis'' Hook. & Arn. = '' Zygophyllum chilense''
*''Fagonia cretica'' L. = '' Zygophyllum creticum''
*''Fagonia densispina'' Beier & Thulin = '' Zygophyllum densispinum''
*''Fagonia densa'' I.M.Johnst. = '' Zygophyllum densum''
*''Fagonia glutinosa'' Delile = '' Zygophyllum glutinosum''
*''Fagonia gypsophila'' Beier & Thulin = '' Zygophyllum gypsophilum''
*''Fagonia hadramautica'' Beier & Thulin = '' Zygophyllum hadramauticum''
*''Fagonia harpago'' Emb. & Maire = '' Zygophyllum harpago''
*''Fagonia indica'' Burm.f. = '' Zygophyllum indicum''
*''Fagonia laevis'' Standl. = '' Zygophyllum laeve''
*''Fagonia lahovarii'' Volkens & Schweinf. = '' Zygophyllum lahovarii''
*''Fagonia latistipulata'' Beier & Thulin = '' Zygophyllum latistipulatum''
*''Fagonia luntii'' Baker = '' Zygophyllum luntii''
*''Fagonia mahrana'' Beier = '' Zygophyllum mahranum''
*''Fagonia latifolia'' Delile = '' Zygophyllum mayanum''
*''Fagonia minutistipula'' Engl. = '' Zygophyllum minutistipulum''
*''Fagonia mollis'' Delile = '' Zygophyllum molle''
*''Fagonia olivieri'' DC. = '' Zygophyllum olivieri''
*''Fagonia orientalis'' C.Presl = '' Zygophyllum orientale''
*''Fagonia pachyacantha'' Rydb. = '' Zygophyllum pachyacanthum''
*''Fagonia palmeri'' Vasey & Rose = '' Zygophyllum palmeri''
*''Fagonia paulayana'' J.Wagner & Vierh. = '' Zygophyllum paulayanum''
*''Fagonia scabra'' Forssk. = '' Zygophyllum scabrum''
*''Fagonia scoparia'' Brandegee = '' Zygophyllum scoparium''
*''Fagonia spinosissima'' Blatt. & Hallb. = '' Zygophyllum spinosissimum''
*''Fagonia subinermis'' Boiss. = '' Zygophyllum subinerme''
*''Tetraena tenuis'' (R.Glover) Beier & Thulin = '' Zygophyllum tenue''
*''Fagonia villosa'' D.M.Porter = '' Zygophyllum villosum''
*''Fagonia zilloides'' Humbert = '' Zygophyllum zilloides''

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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