The governor (Larrea tridentata) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Zygophyllaceae. 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 is a plant that colonizes the desert ecosystems of the United States and northern Mexico. It is also a severely competitive plant, so 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.
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Larrea tridentata it is an evergreen shrub 1-3 meters high, 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.
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 order of ideas, 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..
On the other hand, the fruits have a subglobose or ovoid shape 7 mm long. They are also leathery, with silky white hairs, and they turn reddish-brown with 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 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 it is superficial and very extensive. The root occupies 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. In addition, L. tridentata is capable of producing multiple reproductive phases during the same growing season.
The governor is native to North America and is widely distributed in northern Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula. Altitude, L. tridentata It is a plant that grows between 400 and 1800 meters above sea level..
Larrea tridentata It 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 alluvial plains..
The governor thrives in places with temperatures of 14 to 28 ° C. It can also develop in sites 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..
The L. tridentata It grows on shallow soil, with a sandy loam texture, granular structure and internal drainage. On the other hand, the consistency must be medium friable, and the color of the soil can be grayish brown, when it grows on compacted and clay soil. It can also grow on white calcareous, alluvial sandy soil with a pH of 6.8 to 7.6.
On the other hand, Larrea tridentata It 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.
From an environmental point of view, the governor is a plant that grows in ecological units such as thorny forest (evergreen), deciduous tropical forest and xerophilous scrub..
The 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 Y Opuntia sp.
Larrea tridentata It is a plant that receives a wide medicinal use in the North of 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 alleviate discomforts such as kidney pain and bladder inflammation. According to this, the cooking branches, roots and bark 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. In addition, it is also supposed to 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.
According with the last, L. tridentata it 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..
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