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Cestrum is a genus of between 150-250 species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, from the southernmost United States (Florida, Texas; C. diurnum) south to central Chile (Bío-Bío Region; C. parqui).
They are shrubs growing to 1-4 m tall, mostly evergreen, a few deciduous. All parts of the plants are toxic, causing severe gastroenteritis if eaten.
- Selected species
- Cestrum ambatense Francey
- Cestrum aurantiacum Lindl.
- Cestrum auriculatum L'Hér.
- Cestrum bracteatum Link & Otto
- Cestrum chimborazinum Francey
- Cestrum corymbosum Schltdl.
- Cestrum daphnoides Griseb.
- Cestrum diurnum L. – Day Blooming Jessamine.
- Cestrum ecuadorense Francey
- Cestrum elegans (Brongn. ex Neumann) Schltdl.
- Cestrum endlicheri Miers.
- Cestrum fasciculatum (Schltdl.) Miers
- Cestrum humboldtii Francey
- Cestrum laevigatum Schltdl.
- Cestrum lanuginosum Ruiz & Pavón
- Cestrum latifolium Lam.
- Cestrum laurifolium L'Hér.
- Cestrum meridanum Pittier
- Cestrum mutisii Roem. & Schult.
- Cestrum nocturnum L. – Lady of the Night
- Cestrum parqui L'Hér. – Green Cestrum
- Cestrum peruvianum Roemer & Schultes
- Cestrum petiolare Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth
- Cestrum psittacinum Stapf
- Cestrum quitense Francey
- Cestrum roseum Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth
- Cestrum salicifolium Jacq.
- Cestrum santanderianum Francey
- Cestrum strigilatum Ruiz & Pav.
- Cestrum stuebelii Hieron.
- Cestrum tomentosum L.f.
- Cestrum validum Francey
- Cestrum viridifolium Francey
Synonyms of Cestrum include Fregirardia, Habrothamnus, Meyenia, Parqui, and Wadea.
Cultivation and uses
Several species are grown as ornamental plants for their strongly scented flowers.
Some are invasive species, notably C. parqui in Australia, where it can cause serious losses to livestock, which eat the leaves (particularly of drying broken branches) unaware of their toxicity [1].
References
- Germplasm Resources Information Network: Cestrum
- Trees and shrubs of the Andes of Ecuador: Cestrum
- Flora of Chile: Cestrum (pdf file)
- USDA Plants Profile: Cestrum
- 'Mansfeld's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops' (P. Hanelt & IPK (eds.) 2001, Springer).
- Huxley, A., ed. (1990). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.
- Cestrum parqui