Psoralea

Psoralea
	P. pinnata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Spermatophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Clade:	Non-protein amino acid-accumulating clade
Clade:	Millettioids
Tribe:	Psoraleeae
Genus:	Psoralea; L. (1753)
Species
	127; see text
Synonyms
	Bipontinia Alef. (1866); Hallia Thunb. (1799); Lotodes Kuntze (1891), nom. superfl.; Otholobium C.H.Stirt. (1981); Ruteria Medik. (1787);

Psoralea is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 121 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa.^[1] In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English); fonteinbos, bloukeur, or penwortel (Afrikaans); and umHlonishwa (Zulu).^[2]

Etymology

The name ‘Psoralea’ is derived from the Greek term ‘Psoraleos’, which means “affected with itch or with leprosy”.^[3] Psoralen occurs naturally in the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, and is used in PUVA (psoralen + UVA) treatment, for several diseases including such as psoriasis.

Species

127 species are accepted:^[1]

Psoralea abbottii C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea accrescens (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea acocksii C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea aculeata L.
Psoralea acuminata Lam.
Psoralea affinis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea afra Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea alata (Thunb.) T.M.Salter
Psoralea albidula C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea angustifolia L'Hér.
Psoralea aphylla L.
Psoralea arborea Sims
Psoralea arborescens (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea argentea Thunb.
Psoralea asarina (P.J.Bergius) T.M.Salter
Psoralea axillaris L.f.
Psoralea azuroides C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea bolusii H.M.L.Forbes
Psoralea bowieana Harv.
Psoralea bracteolata Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea brilliantissima C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello
Psoralea candicans Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea cataracta C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea congesta C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea crista C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea curtisiae (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea diturnerae A. Bello, C.H. Stirt. & Muasya ^[4]
Psoralea dreweae (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea elegans C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea ensifolia (Houtt.) Merr.
Psoralea fascicularis DC., syns. Psoralea tenuifolia Thunb. and Psoralea thunbergiana Eckl. & Zeyh.^[5]
Psoralea filifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea fleta C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea flexuosa (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea floccosa C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello
Psoralea foliosa Oliv.
Psoralea forbesiae C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
Psoralea fruticans (L.) Druce
Psoralea fulva C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea fumea (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea gigantea Dludlu, Muasya & C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea glabra E.Mey.
Psoralea glaucescens Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea glaucina Harv.
Psoralea gueinzii Harv.
Psoralea hamata Harv.
Psoralea heterosepala Fourc.
Psoralea hirta L.
Psoralea imbricata (L.f.) T.M.Salter
Psoralea imminens C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea implexa C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea intonsa C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello
Psoralea ivumba C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
Psoralea karooensis C.H.Stirt., Muasya & Vlok
Psoralea keetii Schönland ex H.M.L.Forbes
Psoralea kougaensis C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello
Psoralea laevigata L.f.
Psoralea lancifolia C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea laxa T.M.Salter
Psoralea lucens (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea luteovirens C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea margaretiflora C.H.Stirt. & V.R.Clark
Psoralea monophylla (L.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea montana A.Bello, C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea muirii C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea mundiana Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea nitens (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea nubicola C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea obliqua E.Mey.
Psoralea odoratissima Jacq.
Psoralea oligophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea oreophila Schltr.
Psoralea oreopola C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea outrampsii (C.H.Stirt. & du Preez) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea pallescens C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea papillosa C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea peratica C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea picta (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea pilifera (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea pinnata L.
Psoralea platyphylla C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea plauta C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea polyphylla Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea polysticta Benth. ex Harv.
Psoralea prodiens (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea prompta C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea psammophila C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea pullata C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea pungens (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea purpurascens C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea racemosa Thunb.
Psoralea ramulosa C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea repens P.J.Bergius
Psoralea restioides Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea reticulata C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea rhizotoma C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea rigidula C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea rotundifolia L.f.
Psoralea rubicunda (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea sabulosa (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea saxosa (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea schutteae C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea semota C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea sericea Poir.
Psoralea sordida C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea speciosa Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea spicata L.
Psoralea spissa (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea stachyera Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea striata Thunb.
Psoralea suaveolens C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
Psoralea swartbergensis (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea tenuifolia L.
Psoralea tenuissima E.Mey.
Psoralea thomii Harv.
Psoralea triantha E.Mey.
Psoralea triflora Thunb.
Psoralea trullata C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea uncinata Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea usitata C.H.Stirt.
Psoralea vanberkeliae C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya
Psoralea velutina E.Mey.
Psoralea venusta Eckl. & Zeyh.
Psoralea verrucosa Willd. ex Spreng.
Psoralea vlokii C.H.Stirt. & Muasya
Psoralea wilmsii Harms
Psoralea zeyheri Harv.

References

1 2 3 4 "Psoralea L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
↑ "Psoralea pinnata | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
↑ Koul, Bhupendra; Taak, Pooja; Kumar, Arvind; Kumar, Anil; Sanyal, Indraneel (Dec 3, 2018). "Genus Psoralea: A review of the traditional and modern uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 232 (232): 201–226. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.036. PMC 7127090. PMID 30521980.
↑ Two New Blue-Flowered Plant Species Discovered in South Africa
↑ "Psoralea fasicularis DC". Plants of the World Online. 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

External links

Data related to Psoralea at Wikispecies

[powo-1] 1 2 3 4 "Psoralea L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 29 May 2026.

[2] "Psoralea pinnata | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2021-07-21.

[3] Koul, Bhupendra; Taak, Pooja; Kumar, Arvind; Kumar, Anil; Sanyal, Indraneel (Dec 3, 2018). "Genus Psoralea: A review of the traditional and modern uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 232 (232): 201–226. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.036. PMC 7127090. PMID 30521980.

[4] Two New Blue-Flowered Plant Species Discovered in South Africa

[5] "Psoralea fasicularis DC". Plants of the World Online. 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

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Authority control databases
National	Israel
Other	Yale LUX

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Etymology

Species

References

External links