{{Short description|Genus of legumes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Psoralea pinnata Cape Town 5.JPG | image_caption = ''P. pinnata'' | taxon = Psoralea | authority = L. (1753) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 127; see text | subdivision_ref = <ref name = powo/> | display_parents = 3 | synonyms = *''Bipontinia'' <small>Alef. (1866)</small> *''Hallia'' <small>Thunb. (1799)</small> *''Lotodes'' <small>Kuntze (1891), nom. superfl.</small> *''Otholobium'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. (1981)}} *''Ruteria'' <small>Medik. (1787)</small> | synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>{{Cite web|title=''Psoralea'' L. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science|url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60437226-2|access-date=29 May 2026|website=Plants of the World Online|language=en}}</ref> }}
'''''Psoralea''''' is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 121 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa.<ref name = powo/> In South Africa they are commonly referred to as '''fountainbush''' (English); '''fonteinbos''', '''bloukeur''', or '''penwortel''' (Afrikaans); and '''umHlonishwa''' (Zulu).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Psoralea pinnata {{!}} PlantZAfrica|url=http://pza.sanbi.org/psoralea-pinnata|access-date=2021-07-21|website=pza.sanbi.org}}</ref>
== Etymology == The name ‘''Psoralea’'' is derived from the Greek term ‘''Psoraleos’'', which means “affected with itch or with leprosy”.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Koul |first1=Bhupendra |last2=Taak |first2=Pooja |last3=Kumar |first3=Arvind |last4=Kumar |first4=Anil |last5=Sanyal |first5=Indraneel |date=Dec 3, 2018 |title=Genus Psoralea: A review of the traditional and modern uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |volume=232 |issue=232 |pages=201–226 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2018.11.036 |pmid=30521980 |pmc=7127090 }}</ref> Psoralen occurs naturally in the seeds of ''Psoralea corylifolia'', and is used in PUVA (psoralen + UVA) treatment, for several diseases including such as psoriasis.
==Species== 127 species are accepted:<ref name = powo/> {{Div col}} * ''Psoralea abbottii'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea accrescens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea acocksii'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea aculeata'' <small>L.</small> * ''Psoralea acuminata'' {{small|Lam.}} * ''Psoralea affinis'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea afra'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea alata'' <small>(Thunb.) T.M.Salter</small> * ''Psoralea albidula'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea angustifolia'' <small>L'Hér.</small> * ''Psoralea aphylla'' <small>L.</small> * ''Psoralea arborea'' <small>Sims</small> * ''Psoralea arborescens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea argentea'' {{small|Thunb.}} * ''Psoralea asarina'' <small>(P.J.Bergius) T.M.Salter</small> * ''Psoralea axillaris'' <small>L.f.</small> * ''Psoralea azuroides'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea bolusii'' {{small|H.M.L.Forbes}} * ''Psoralea bowieana'' {{small|Harv.}} * ''Psoralea bracteolata'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea brilliantissima'' <small>C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello</small> * ''Psoralea candicans'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea cataracta'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea congesta'' <small>C.H.Stirt. & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea crista'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea curtisiae'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea diturnerae'' <small>A. Bello, C.H. Stirt. & Muasya</small> <ref>[http://www.sciencespacerobots.com/two-new-blue-flowered-plant-species-discovered-in-south-32120151 Two New Blue-Flowered Plant Species Discovered in South Africa]</ref> * ''Psoralea dreweae'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea elegans'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea ensifolia'' <small>(Houtt.) Merr.</small> * ''Psoralea fascicularis'' <small>DC.</small>, syns. ''Psoralea tenuifolia'' <small>Thunb.</small> and ''Psoralea thunbergiana'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small><ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=2021|title=''Psoralea fasicularis'' DC.|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:516089-1|website=Plants of the World Online|access-date=20 July 2021}}</ref> * ''Psoralea filifolia'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea fleta'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea flexuosa'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea floccosa'' <small>C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello</small> * ''Psoralea foliosa'' {{small|Oliv.}} * ''Psoralea forbesiae'' <small>C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea fruticans'' {{small|(L.) Druce}} * ''Psoralea fulva'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea fumea'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea gigantea'' <small>Dludlu, Muasya & C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea glabra'' <small>E.Mey.</small> * ''Psoralea glaucescens'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea glaucina'' <small>Harv.</small> * ''Psoralea gueinzii'' <small>Harv.</small> * ''Psoralea hamata'' {{small|Harv.}} * ''Psoralea heterosepala'' {{small|Fourc.}} * ''Psoralea hirta'' {{small|L.}} * ''Psoralea imbricata'' <small>(L.f.) T.M.Salter</small> * ''Psoralea imminens'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea implexa'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea intonsa'' <small>C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello</small> * ''Psoralea ivumba'' <small>C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea karooensis'' <small>C.H.Stirt., Muasya & Vlok</small> * ''Psoralea keetii'' <small>Schönland ex H.M.L.Forbes</small> * ''Psoralea kougaensis'' <small>C.H.Stirt., Muasya & A.Bello</small> * ''Psoralea laevigata'' <small>L.f.</small> * ''Psoralea lancifolia'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea laxa'' <small>T.M.Salter</small> * ''Psoralea lucens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea luteovirens'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea margaretiflora'' <small>C.H.Stirt. & V.R.Clark</small> * ''Psoralea monophylla'' <small>(L.) C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea montana'' <small>A.Bello, C.H.Stirt. & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea muirii'' <small>C.H.Stirt. & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea mundiana'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea nitens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea nubicola'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea obliqua'' {{small|E.Mey.}} * ''Psoralea odoratissima'' <small>Jacq.</small> * ''Psoralea oligophylla'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea oreophila'' <small>Schltr.</small> * ''Psoralea oreopola'' {{small|C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea outrampsii'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & du Preez) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea pallescens'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea papillosa'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea peratica'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea picta'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea pilifera'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea pinnata'' <small>L.</small> * ''Psoralea platyphylla'' {{small|C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea plauta'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea polyphylla'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea polysticta'' {{small|Benth. ex Harv.}} * ''Psoralea prodiens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea prompta'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea psammophila'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea pullata'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea pungens'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea purpurascens'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea racemosa'' {{small|Thunb.}} * ''Psoralea ramulosa'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea repens'' <small>P.J.Bergius</small> * ''Psoralea restioides'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea reticulata'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea rhizotoma'' <small>C.H.Stirt. & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea rigidula'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea rotundifolia'' {{small|L.f.}} * ''Psoralea rubicunda'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea sabulosa'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea saxosa'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea schutteae'' {{small|C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea semota'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea sericea'' {{small|Poir.}} * ''Psoralea sordida'' <small>C.H.Stirt. & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea speciosa'' <small>Eckl. & Zeyh.</small> * ''Psoralea spicata'' {{small|L.}} * ''Psoralea spissa'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt. & Muasya) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea stachyera'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea striata'' {{small|Thunb.}} * ''Psoralea suaveolens'' <small>C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea swartbergensis'' {{small|(C.H.Stirt.) C.H.Stirt.}} * ''Psoralea tenuifolia'' {{small|L.}} * ''Psoralea tenuissima'' <small>E.Mey.</small> * ''Psoralea thomii'' {{small|Harv.}} * ''Psoralea triantha'' {{small|E.Mey.}} * ''Psoralea triflora'' <small>Thunb.</small> * ''Psoralea trullata'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea uncinata'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea usitata'' <small>C.H.Stirt.</small> * ''Psoralea vanberkeliae'' <small>C.H.Stirt., A.Bello & Muasya</small> * ''Psoralea velutina'' {{small|E.Mey.}} * ''Psoralea venusta'' {{small|Eckl. & Zeyh.}} * ''Psoralea verrucosa'' <small>Willd. ex Spreng.</small> * ''Psoralea vlokii'' {{small|C.H.Stirt. & Muasya}} * ''Psoralea wilmsii'' {{small|Harms}} * ''Psoralea zeyheri'' {{small|Harv.}} {{Div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== {{Wikispecies-inline}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2589982}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Psoraleeae Category:Tumbleweeds Category:Fabaceae genera Category:Flora of the Afrotropical realm Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus