The governor (Larrea tridentata) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family. It is a shrub-shaped plant that grows in semi-arid regions of North America.
The governor is an evergreen perianal plant. It has an average height of 3 meters with leaves formed by folioles joined together at the base. On the other hand, it has solitary flowers, has ovoid fruits and its seeds are dark brown.
The Governor (Larrea tridentata). Stan shebs
The governor is a plant that colonizes the desert ecosystems of the United States and northern Mexico. It is also a severely competitive plant, which is why it is generally found alone.
Also known as chaparral or hediondilla, the governor is a plant with multiple beneficial properties. However, parts of this plant have been shown to have cytotoxic effects; and many of its beneficial effects have not been clinically corroborated.
characteristics
Larrea tridentata is an evergreen shrub 1-3 meters tall, branched and knotty. The leaves are opposite with two asymmetric leaflets that are about 1 cm long. Likewise, the leaves are lustrous, with a thin resinous layer secreted by a glandular epidermis of stipules, located at the nodes.
Larrea tridentata. Stan shebs
On the other hand, the stem is woody, knotty and without thorns. The governor is an erect shrub that is highly branched from the base.
In another vein, the flowers are solitary, complete and with a diameter of 2.5 cm. On the other hand, the sepals are elliptical, 6 mm long by 4 mm wide, with pubescence and drooping. Its petals are bright yellow, oblong to lanceolate, approximately 1 cm long by 3 to 5 mm wide.
Governor's Flower. Stan shebs
On the other hand, the fruits have a subglobose or ovoid shape 7 mm long. They are also leathery, with silky white hairs, turning reddish-brown over time. Likewise, each fruit has five mericarps with one seed each.
The seeds are dark brown in color, with a curved appearance approximately 2 to 4 mm long. In addition, they have triangular contours, in the shape of a boomerang. On the other hand, the embryo shows two cotyledons parallel to the longitudinal plane.
On the other hand, the root system of L. tridentata is superficial and very extensive. The root comes to occupy almost the entire space between one bush and another.
In addition to this, the foliage of the governor is evergreen and flowering occurs throughout the year, although more frequently between the months of February and April. Likewise, L. tridentata is capable of producing multiple reproductive phases during the same growing season.
Habitat and distribution
The governor is native to North America and is widely distributed in northern Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula. Altitude, L. tridentata is a plant that grows between 400 and 1800 meters above sea level.
Governor shrubs growing in the Lucerne Valley, California. From Wikimedia Commons
Larrea tridentata is a shrub that grows wild in desert areas of the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. In addition, this plant tends to grow in the driest places in Mexico, on flat terrain, slopes, low hills, and floodplains.
The governor thrives in places with temperatures of 14 to 28 ° C. It can also develop in places with a presence of 8 months of drought in arid and very arid climates with annual rainfall of 150 to 500 mm. On the contrary, this plant does not thrive in places with an isothermal climate.
L. tridentata grows on shallow soil, with a sandy loam texture, granular structure and internal drainage. On the other hand, the consistency should be medium friable, and the color of the soil can be grayish brown, when it grows on compacted and clayey soil. It can also grow on white calcareous, sandy alluvial soil with a pH of 6.8 to 7.6.
On the other hand, Larrea tridentata is a primary shrub, the main component of the vegetation of the arid zones of North America. Form exclusive and extensive communities in this area.
Larrea tridentata population growing near the Mountains in Texas. Leaflet
From an environmental point of view, the governor is a plant that grows in ecological units such as thorny forest (evergreen), tropical deciduous forest and xerophilous scrub.
Governor is also often associated with different species such as Juniperus sp., Acacia sp., Yucca sp., Larrea sp., Pachycereus sp., Prosopis sp., Bursera microphylla., Agace sp., Carnegiea gigantea., Jatropha sp., Berveris sp., Parthenium sp., Cercidium floridium, Fouquieria splendens and Opuntia sp.
Medicinal properties
Larrea tridentata is a plant that is widely used medicinally in Northern Mexico. It is used to treat urinary tract conditions, such as kidney stones. To carry out this treatment, it is advisable to cook it with water.
Likewise, the governor can serve to relieve discomforts such as kidney pain and bladder inflammation. According to this, the branches, roots and bark in cooking are eaten on an empty stomach.
In turn, it was traditionally believed that the governor could help with gynecological problems such as female sterility. For this, it was recommended to make vaginal washes with infusion of branches of this bush. It was also used for postpartum and to regularize menstruation.
In addition to the above, the infusion of governor extract can be used to treat hemorrhoid problems. Furthermore, it can supposedly also be effective in treating fever, malaria, acne, and rheumatism.
The infusion of the leaves is also traditionally used as a remedy for rheumatism, gallbladder and kidney stones, dermatitis, hepatitis and as an antiseptic.
In addition, this plant has properties against gastric discomfort, venereal diseases and tuberculosis. Due to its antimicrobial properties, the governor is also used to treat mycosis.
Chemical structure of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). Edgar181
According to the above, L. tridentata owes its healing properties to multiple secreted metabolites, which can form up to 50% of the foliar dry weight. The resin that covers the leaf can contain about 19 flavonoids with active properties.
Some of these flavonoids have been characterized and found to be glycosylated. Components such as the antioxidant NDGA, sapogenins, essential oils, halogenated alkaloids, volatile oils and aromatic components have been characterized from different extracts of this plant.
References
- Arteaga, S., Andrade-Cetto, A., Cárdenas, R., 2005. Larrea tridentata (Creosote bush), an abundant plant of Mexican and US-American deserts and its metabolite nordihydroguaiaretic acid. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 98, 231-239.
- Brisson, J., Reynolds, JF, 1994. The effect of neighbors on root distribution in a creosotebush (Larrea tridentate) population. Ecological Society of America. 75 (6), 1693-1702.
- Chew, RM, Chew, AE, 1965. The primary Productivity of Desert-Shrub (Larrea tridentate) community. Ecological Monographs. 35 (4), 355-375.
- Franco, AC, de Soyza, AG, Virginia, RA, Reynolds, JF, Whitford, WG, 1993. Effects of plant size and water relations on gas exchange and growth of desert shrubs Larrea tridentate. Oecology. 97, 171-178.
- Hamerlynck, EP, Mcauliffe, JR, Smith, SD, 2000. Effects of surface and sub-surface soil horizons on theseasonal performance of Larrea tridentata (creosotebush). Functional Ecology. 14, 596-606.
- Larrea tridentata (Moç. & Seseé ex DC.) Coville (1893). Posted in: Contr. US Natl. Herb. 4:75.