Psoralea

Psoralea
P. pinnata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
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 [1]
121; see text
Synonyms [1]
BipontiniaAlef. (1866) HalliaThunb. (1799) LotodesKuntze (1891), nom. superfl. OtholobiumC.H.Stirt. (1981) RuteriaMedik. (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

121 species are accepted: ^[1]

• Psoralea abbottii C.H.Stirt.
• Psoralea accrescens (C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.
• Psoralea aculeata L.
• Psoralea acuminata Lam.
• Psoralea affinis Eckl. & Zeyh.
• Psoralea afra Eckl. & Zeyh.
• Psoralea alata (Thunb.) T.M.Salter
• 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 tenuifoliaThunb. and Psoralea thunbergianaEckl. & 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 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 pullata C.H.Stirt.
• Psoralea pungens (C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.
• Psoralea racemosa Thunb.
• Psoralea ramulosa C.H.Stirt.
• Psoralea repens P.J.Bergius
• Psoralea restioides Eckl. & Zeyh.
• 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. "Psoralea L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
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.

External links

Data related to Psoralea at Wikispecies