Calea is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae.[4][2] They are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions[5] in Mexico, Central America, and South America.[6][7]

Calea
Calea rotundifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Neurolaeneae
Genus: Calea
L.
Type species
Calea jamaicensis
Synonyms[3]
  • Amphicalea (DC.) Gardner
  • Aschenbornia S.Schauer
  • Brasilia G.M.Barroso
  • Caleacte R.Br. ex Steud.
  • Geissopappus Benth.
  • Lemmatium DC.
  • Leontophthalmum Willd.
  • Meyeria DC.
  • Mocinna Lag.
  • Schomburghia DC.
  • Stenophyllum Sch.Bip. ex Benth. & Hook.f.
  • Tonalanthus Brandegee
  • Trinchinettia Endl.
  • Tyleropappus Greenm.

Extracts of Calea species have had antifungal, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, larvicidal, antiplasmodial, and antihypertensive effects in experiments.[5] Some species are used in traditional medicine and ritual. Calea clematidea is used to treat influenza. Calea ternifolia is used in Mexico to treat dysentery and fever, and native peoples use it to influence their dreams.[6]

Species

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161 species are accepted.[3]

Names brought to synonymy
 
Calea cymosa
 
Calea ternifolia

References

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  1. ^ lectotype designated by R. Brown, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 12: 108-109 (1817)
  2. ^ a b Tropicos, Calea L.
  3. ^ a b Calea L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  4. ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1763. Species Plantarum, Editio Secunda 2: 1179 in Latin
  5. ^ a b do Nascimento, A. M., et al. (2007). Chromanones with leishmanicidal activity from Calea uniflora. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 62(5-6), 353-56.
  6. ^ a b Ferraz, A., et al. (2009). Pharmacological and genotoxic evaluation of Calea clematidea and Calea uniflora. Latin American Journal of Pharmacy 28(6), 858-62.
  7. ^ Pozo, P. and D. N. Hind. (2013). A new species of Calea sect. Meyeria (Compositae: Heliantheae: Neurolaeninae), Calea woodii, from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Kew Bulletin 68, 1-5.