Cuphea glutinosa
Cham. & Schltdl.
Lythraceae
Cuphea hirsuta Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.
Cuphea thymoides Lorentz
Parsonsia glutinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) A.Heller
Common Name: Lavender Lady
General Information
Cuphea glutinosa is an evergreen, low-growing, much-branched, perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody and can persist; it can grow 15 - 35cm tall. All parts of the plant are sticky.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental, where it makes a good ground cover and also helps to reduce soil erosion. It is also a potential oil crop.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil, Bolivia
Habitat
Wet meadows, at elevations usually above 1,200 metres
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
Height | 0.30 m |
Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Cuphea glutinosa is native to the subtropics of south eastern S. America, just moving into the tropics. In trials in southeastern N. America, forms have been selected that can tolerate temperatures falling to at least -7°c for short periods[
1206- Title
- Advances in New Crops. Proceedings of the First National Symposium NEW CROPS: Research, Development, Economics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Jules Janick and J.E.Simon (eds.)
- Publisher
- Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-88192-166-1
- Description
- This book is the proceedings of the First National Symposium on New Crops held October 23-26, 1988 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The contents include papers from invited speakers, papers derived from posters, and abstracts from poster presentations
].
Plants require a sunny position[
1206- Title
- Advances in New Crops. Proceedings of the First National Symposium NEW CROPS: Research, Development, Economics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Jules Janick and J.E.Simon (eds.)
- Publisher
- Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-88192-166-1
- Description
- This book is the proceedings of the First National Symposium on New Crops held October 23-26, 1988 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The contents include papers from invited speakers, papers derived from posters, and abstracts from poster presentations
].
Edible Uses
An oil obtained from the seeds has the potential to be used in foods[
289- Title
- The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
Medicinal
The leaves and stems are a blood purifier, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypotensive, laxative and purgative[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
1209- Title
- A comprehensive review of Cuphea (Lythraceae)
- Publication
- Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences 2(3):847-855 · July 2011
- Author
- Mohamed R Elgindi; Nahla Ayoub; Rola Milad and Reham Hassan
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 0975-8585
- Description
- Gives information on the traditional medicinal uses of various cuphea species, and also a review of modern research and the compounds the plants contain.
]. They are used as a treatment for malaria, high blood pressure, menstrual disorders, pailpitations and nervous diseases[
1209- Title
- A comprehensive review of Cuphea (Lythraceae)
- Publication
- Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences 2(3):847-855 · July 2011
- Author
- Mohamed R Elgindi; Nahla Ayoub; Rola Milad and Reham Hassan
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 0975-8585
- Description
- Gives information on the traditional medicinal uses of various cuphea species, and also a review of modern research and the compounds the plants contain.
,
1210- Title
- In vitro evaluation of trypanocidal activity in plants used in Argentine traditional medicine
- Publication
- Parasitology Research (2006) 98: 370-374
- Author
- V. Sülsen; C. Güida; J. Coussio; C. Paveto; L. Muschietti; V
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
- DOI 10.1007/s0043
- Description
-
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant can be used to make an attractive and effective ground cover that also helps reduce soil erosion[
1206- Title
- Advances in New Crops. Proceedings of the First National Symposium NEW CROPS: Research, Development, Economics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Jules Janick and J.E.Simon (eds.)
- Publisher
- Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-88192-166-1
- Description
- This book is the proceedings of the First National Symposium on New Crops held October 23-26, 1988 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The contents include papers from invited speakers, papers derived from posters, and abstracts from poster presentations
].
Other Uses
The seeds, although small, are a potential commercial crop for their oil. The oil is a good source of medium length fatty acids - these oils are usually obtained from tropical sources such as palm and coconut oils. This species is particularly rich in lauric acid (59.1 - 81.7%)[
289- Title
- The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
Industrial oils made from these acids are valuable commodities as they have the potential to replace others made from imported palm kernel and coconut oil. Lauric acid is used in foods, mostly as vegetable shortenings, as a defoaming agent and a booster for soaps and detergents[
289- Title
- The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
Medium chain length fatty acids (e.g. Lauric and myristic) are used in detergents and health and beauty products. Statistics show that 71,000 tonnes of lauric acid oils were processed during 1991 in the EC; they originated from Copra (i.e. Coconut) and Palm kernel[
289- Title
- The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
Cuphea has been used as an alternative to coconut oil in soaps, detergents and other products[
289- Title
- The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
Propagation
Seed - can be sown in situ after the last expected frosts[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. In order to obtain larger plants, extend the growing season and hopefully achieve larger yields of seeds, the seeds can be sown in a greenhouse in early spring at around 21°c. Germination usually takes a few weeks because of the hard seed coat. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out after the last expected frosts[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Division
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