Description

Common Name Standardized: damiana Botanical Name Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult. var. diffusa Plant Family: Turneraceae

Parts Used Dried leaf.

Overview Damiana has been used in Mexico and southward to Central and South America since the times of the ancient Aztec, and is still quite popular today.

Botany Damiana is in the Turneraceae family, yet this family is often included in the same family as Passionflower (P. incarnate) Passifloraceae. Around half of the plants in the Turneraeace family are in the genus Turnera, including T. ulmifolia (Common name “ramgoat dashalong”, one can only imagine what this is referring to) which is similar in appearance yet was traditionally used differently5 and is now widely cultivated in Africa. Damiana is a small sub-tropical shrub bearing aromatic serrated leaves and small bright yellow flowers. T. diffusa is native to southwest Texas, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America and Brazil. According to a variety of baby naming websites, the origin of the common name damiana is from the Old Greek daman or damia meaning “to tame or subdue.” It is the feminine version of Damian and infers that Damiana is the wild one “who tames.”

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This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.