Damiana
Tunera diffusa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Turneraceae Genus: Turnera Species: T. diffusa
Binomial name
Turnera diffusa Willd. ex J.A. Schultes

Damiana (Turnera diffusa, syn. Turnera aphrodisiaca) is a shrub native to Central and South America. It belongs to the family Turneraceae. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 416 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1250 × 1800 pixel, file size: 1. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Pteridophyta - ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class: this name is formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name Magnoliaceae by the termination -opsida (Art 16 of the ICBN). ... Families Family Achariaceae Family Balanopaceae Family Bonnetiaceae Family Caryocaraceae Family Chrysobalanaceae Family Clusiaceae Family Ctenolophonaceae Family Dichapetalaceae Family Elatinaceae Family Erythryloxaceae (coca family) Family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) Family Euphroniaceae Family Goupiaceae Family Humiriaceae Family Hypericaceae (St Johns wort family) Family Irvingiaceae Family Ixonanthaceae Family Lacistemaceae Family Linaceae (flax family... Genera Adenoa Erblichia Hyalocalyx Loewia Mathurina Piriqueta Stapfiella Streptopetalum Tricliceras (Wormskioldia) Turnera Turneraceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of 120 species in 10 genera. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... hiii, This article is on plants. ... Map of Central America Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Genera Adenoa Erblichia Hyalocalyx Loewia Mathurina Piriqueta Stapfiella Streptopetalum Tricliceras (Wormskioldia) Turnera Turneraceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of 120 species in 10 genera. ...

Blooming with small yellow flowers, the shrub has an odor somewhat like chamomile, which is due to an oil present in the plant. The leaves have traditionally been made into a tea which was used by native people of Central and South America for its reputed aphrodisiac effects. A Phalaenopsis flower A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ... Chamomile flowers The name Chamomile or Camomile is ambiguous and can refer to several distinct species. ... “Foliage” redirects here. ... Herbal tea An herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is an herbal infusion not made from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis). ... An aphrodisiac is an agent which increases sexual desire[1] or sexual arousal. ...

Damiana is also a European name. In the country of Bulgaria it is simply a female version of Damian. In Greece the name Damiana refers to a person who is tame and subdued. Plus, the name Damiana is somewhat common in Latino/Spanish locations.

Uses

Herbal Medicine

In herbal medicine, damiana is used to treat conditions ranging from coughs, to constipation, to depression. The herbal supplement is reputed to help with Energy, Emphysema, low Estrogen, Frigidity, Hot Flashes, Impotency, Infertility, Menopause, Parkinson's Disease, PMS, Inflammation of Prostate, Lou Gehrig's disease, and more dealing with reproductive organs in both males and females. ^[1] Dioscorides’ Materia Medica, c. ... A laxative is a preparation used for encouraging defecation, or the expulsion of feces. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or sometimes unipolar when compared with bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ...

Recreational

The leaves of damiana are sometimes smoked for relaxation and for its very mild psychoactive properties, described as somewhat similar to those of cannabis, if taken in much larger quantities. Yet the effects are a lot more mental than physical; movement is not severely impaired and thinking is not distorted to the same degree. Often when damiana is smoked while drinking it in a tea form, the smoker feels relaxed and mildly mentally altered. However it is not very effective when attempting to become stoned though. Damiana is sold in some brands of herbal cigarettes marketed as a tobacco-free smoking alternative. The herb lavender goes well with damiana when smoked. A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical that alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness, or behaviour. ... Look up Cannabis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Cannabis sativa Look up marijuana in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

Also, a traditional Mexican liqueur, sometimes used in margaritas is made from this herb. Some claim that damiana liqueur was used in the original margarita. Bottles of strawberry liqueur A liqueur is a sweet alcoholic beverage, often flavoured with fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, roots, plants, barks, and sometimes cream. ... A margarita on the rocks The margarita is the most common of tequila-based cocktails, made with Triple Sec (or Cointreau) and lime juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. ... dvdsvdxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Herbs: basil Herbs (IPA: hə()b, or əb; see pronunciation differences) are plants grown for any purpose other than food, wood or beauty. ... A margarita on the rocks The margarita is the most common of tequila-based cocktails, made with Triple Sec (or Cointreau) and lime juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. ...

References

1. ^ Ritchason, J. 1995, "The Little Herb Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition" p.70

External Links

• Damiana vault at Erowid