Editing Heimia

{{short description|Genus of plants}}
{{automatic taxobox
|image = Heimia.jpg
|image_caption = ''[[Heimia salicifolia]]''
|taxon = Heimia
|authority = [[Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link|Link]]<ref name="GRIN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?5462 |title=''Heimia'' Link |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=1994-09-07 |access-date=2010-03-21}}</ref>
|subdivision_ranks = Species
|subdivision = ''[[Heimia montana]]''<br />
''[[Heimia myrtifolia]]''<br />
''[[Heimia salicifolia]]''
}}
[[File:Heimia salicifolia MHNT.BOT.2009.13.29.jpg|thumb|''Heimia salicifolia'' - [[MHNT]]]]

'''''Heimia''''' is a genus of [[flowering plant]]s in the [[Lythrum|loosestrife]] family, [[Lythraceae]]. It contains two or three species of closely related [[shrub]]s commonly known as '''sun opener''' or '''shrubby yellowcrest'''. They are native to the [[Americas]], from northern [[Argentina]] north to the southernmost [[United States]] (southern [[Texas]]). The [[leaf|leaves]] are 2&ndash;5&nbsp;cm long and 1&nbsp;cm broad, entire, and variably arranged alternate, opposite or whorled on the stems. All species produce five-petaled yellow flowers.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} The plants have a history of [[Ethnopharmacology|medicinal use]] in a variety of [[Americas|American]] cultures. Several pharmacologically active alkaloids have been detected in the plants.<ref name="Malone"/> The generic names honours German physician [[Ernst Ludwig Heim]] (1747–1834).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NJ6PyhVuecwC |title=The Names of Plants |first=D. |last=Gledhill |edition=4 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-86645-3 |year=2008 |page=193}}</ref>

==Species==

The genus contains three species. They are similar to the extent that expert knowledge is required to differentiate between specimens of the different species.<ref name="Malone"/> The alkaloid contents of specimens of all three species has been studied, and although similar, they have been found to be chemically distinct.<ref name="Rother1990">{{cite journal |first=A |last=Rother|title=Alkaloids of ''Heimia montana''|journal=[[Phytochemistry (journal)|Phytochemistry]]|year=1990 |volume=29|issue=5|pages=1683&ndash;1686 |doi=10.1016/0031-9422(90)80146-8|bibcode=1990PChem..29.1683R }}</ref>

===''Heimia myrtifolia''===
''[[Heimia myrtifolia]]'' is a shrub growing to 1 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5 petaled and 1&nbsp;cm in diameter. The leaves are approximately 5&nbsp;mm wide by 2–3&nbsp;cm long.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

===''Heimia salicifolia''===
''[[Heimia salicifolia]]'', commonly known as Sinicuichi, is a shrub growing to 3 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5 petaled and 2–3&nbsp;cm in diameter. The leaves are approximately 1&nbsp;cm wide and 3–5&nbsp;cm long.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

===''Heimia montana''===

== Secondary metabolites ==
The alkaloid content is similar between the species in the genus.<ref name="Malone"/> The following substances have been detected in ''[[Heimia salicifolia]]'':

=== Alkaloids ===

* [[9-beta-Hydroxyvertine|9-''beta''-Hydroxyvertine]]<ref name="Rumalla">{{cite journal |first=CS |last=Rumalla |author2=Jadhav, AN |author3=Smillie, T |author4=Fronczek, FR |author5= Khan IA  |title=Alkaloids from ''Heimia salicifolia'' |journal=[[Phytochemistry (journal)|Phytochemistry]]|publisher=[[Elsevier]] |date=May 2008 |volume=69 |issue=8 |pages=1756–1762 |pmid=18374955 |doi=10.1016/j.phytochem.2008.01.028|bibcode=2008PChem..69.1756R }}</ref>
* [[4-(3-Hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-quinolizidin-2-acetate|(2''S'',4''S'',10''R'')-4-(3-Hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-quinolizidin-2-acetate]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Lythrine]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Dehydrodecodine]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Lythridine]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Cryogenine]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Heimidine]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Lyfoline]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[epi-Lyfoline]]<ref name="Rumalla"/>
* [[Sinicuichine]]<ref name="Malone"/>
* [[Nesodine]]<ref name="Malone"/>
* [[Abresoline]]<ref name="Malone"/>
* [[Anelisine]]<ref name="Malone"/>
* [[Lythridine]] (sinine) <ref name="Malone"/>

== History ==

''[[Heimia myrtifolia]]'' and ''[[Heimia salicifolia]]'' are often reported to have [[hallucinogen]]ic effects. This controversial attribution of effects appears to be traceable back to a publication by J. B. Calderón in 1896 who wrote that it was said to possess a "curious and unique physiological action ... people drinking either a [[decoction]] or the juice of the plant have a pleasant drunkenness ... all objects appear yellow and the sounds of bells, human voices or any other reach their ears as if coming from a long distance."<ref name="Malone">{{cite journal | pmid = 7934084|doi=10.1016/0378-8741(94)90080-9 | volume=42 | title=Heimia salicifolia: a phytochemical and phytopharmacologic review | date=May 1994 | journal=J Ethnopharmacol | pages=135–59 | last1 = Malone | first1 = MH | last2 = Rother | first2 = A|issue=3 }}[http://erowid.org/references/refs_view.php?A=ShowDoc1&ID=6470 Erowid references]</ref><ref name="Calderon">Estudio sobre el arbusto llamado sinieuichi. ''[[Anales del Instituto Médico Nacional]]'' '''2''', 36&ndash;42</ref>

Calderón actually tested the plant and did not experience any noticeable effects. Through a series of exaggerating and dramatizing citations, especially by [[Victor A. Reko]] in the first half of the last century, the plant became known as a hallucinogen despite that psychoactive properties of the plant have never been demonstrated. The mildly psychoactive effects described in the original publication have therefore been attributed to a sedative principle or unknown other contents of the brew or, simply, to its [[ethanol|alcohol]] content.<ref name="Malone"/>

In 1926, Reko observed that the native people of [[Mexico]] also called the stem and bark of ''[[Erythrina coralloides]]'', the bark of ''[[Piscidia erythrina]]'', and the seeds of ''[[Rhynochosia praecatoria]]'' by the name of ''sinicuichi'',<ref name="Reko">{{cite journal |first=Victor A |last=Reko|title=Sinicuichi |journal=[[La Revista Médica de Yucatan]]|year=1926 |volume=14|pages=22&ndash;27}}</ref> which may have contributed to the scientific confusion.<ref name="Malone"/>

==Cultivation==
[[Image:Heimia Salicifolia Seeds.jpg|right|thumb|Seeds of ''H. salicifolia'']]

The species make attractive [[ornamental plant]]s, flowering in late summer. Although only growing as a [[shrub]] in subtropical climates, it can also be grown as a [[Perennial plant|herbaceous perennial]] in colder areas where the above-ground growth is killed by winter cold. The plants produce very many tiny seeds which are easily cultivated. Both species prefer well-drained soil with a good supply of water.<ref name="Grubber">{{citation|last=Grubber|first=Hudson|title= Growing the Hallucinogens|url=http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/cultivation/cultivation_growing-the-hallucinogens.shtml#SINICUICHI|year=1976}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikispecies-inline}}
{{commons category-inline|Heimia|''Heimia''}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q13533379}}

[[Category:Heimia| ]]
[[Category:Entheogens]]
[[Category:Herbal and fungal hallucinogens]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Lythraceae genera]]