{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Withania somnifera, blom, Manie van der Schijff BT.jpg |image_caption = ''Withania somnifera'' |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Withania |authority = Pauquy (1825), nom. cons. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = 19; see text |synonyms = *''Archiphysalis'' <small>Kuang (1966)</small> *''Hypnoticum'' {{small|Rodati ex Meisn. (1839)}} *''Opsago'' <small>Raf. (1838)</small> *''Physaliastrum'' <small>Makino (1914)</small> *''Physaloides'' <small>Moench (1794)</small> *''Puneeria'' <small>Stocks (1849)</small> *''Scleromphalos'' {{small|Griff. (1854), nom. nud.}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332066-2 ''Withania'' Pauquy]. ''Plants of the World Online''. Retrieved 24 April 2024.</ref> }}
'''''Withania''''' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, with 19<ref name = powo/> to 23 species that are native to parts of North Africa, western Asia, south Asia, southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands.<ref name=mirjalili>{{Cite journal | last1 = Mirjalili | first1 = M. H. | last2 = Moyano | first2 = E. | last3 = Bonfill | first3 = M. | last4 = Cusido | first4 = R. M. | last5 = Palazón | first5 = J. | title = Steroidal Lactones from Withania somnifera, an Ancient Plant for Novel Medicine | doi = 10.3390/molecules14072373 | journal = Molecules | volume = 14 | issue = 7 | pages = 2373–2393 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19633611 | pmc = 6255378 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.368.967 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=GRIN>{{GRIN | ''Withania somnifera'' | 102407 | accessdate = 2015-02-03}}</ref> ''Withania'' was initially included within ''Physalis'' by Linnaeus in 1753 but has since become its own genus.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rydberg |first=Per Axel |date=1896 |title=The North American Species of Physalis and related Genera |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43391911 |journal=Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club |volume=4 |issue=5 |pages=297–374 |jstor=43391911 |issn=0097-3807}}</ref> This grouping was due to the shared feature of an inflated calyx that surrounds and protects the fruit.
Two of the species, ''W. somnifera'' (ashwagandha) and ''W. coagulans'' (ashutosh booti), are economically significant, and are cultivated in several regions for their medicinal uses.<ref name=mirjalili/>
==Etymology== ''Withania'' is thought to have been named in honour of Henry Witham, a British geologist and writer on fossil botany beginning in 1830.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/efsa/lucid/Solanaceae/Solanaceae%20species/key/Australian%20Solanaceae%20species/Media/Html/Withania.htm | title = ''Withania'' | work = Electronic Flora of South Australia | publisher = Government of South Australia, Department of Environment and Natural Resources | access-date = 2011-03-23 }}</ref>
==Species== 19 species are accepted.<ref name = powo/> * ''Withania adpressa'' <small>Coss. ex Batt.</small> * ''Withania adunensis'' <small>Vierh.</small> * ''Withania aristata'' {{small|(Aiton) Pauquy}} * ''Withania chamaesarachoides'' {{small|(Makino) Hunz.}} * ''Withania coagulans'' <small>(Stocks) Dunal</small> — ashutosh booti, Indian rennet, panirband, vegetable rennet * ''Withania echinata'' {{small|(Yatabe) Hunz.}} * ''Withania frutescens'' <small>(L.) Pauquy</small> * ''Withania grisea'' {{small|(Hepper & Boulos) Thulin}} * ''Withania heterophylla'' {{small|(Hemsl.) Hunz.}} * ''Withania japonica'' <small>(Franch. & Sav.) Hunz.</small> * ''Withania kweichouensis'' {{small|(Kuang & A.M.Lu) Hunz.}} * ''Withania qaraitica'' <small>A.G.Mill. & Biagi</small> * ''Withania reichenbachii'' <small>Bitter</small> * ''Withania riebeckii'' <small>Schweinf.</small> * ''Withania sinensis'' {{small|(Hemsl.) Hunz.}} * ''Withania sinica'' {{small|(Kuang & A.M.Lu) Hunz.}} * ''Withania somnifera'' <small>(L.) Dunal</small> (synonym ''Withania chevalieri'' <small>A.E.Gonç.</small>) — ashwaganda, Indian ginseng, winter cherry<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=242426281 | title = ''Withania coagulans'' (Stocks) Dunal | work = Flora of Pakistan | publisher = eFlora.org }}</ref><ref>{{GRIN | ''Withania coagulans'' | 102409 | accessdate = 19 January 2018}}</ref> * ''Withania sphaerocarpa'' <small>Hepper & Boulos</small> * ''Withania yunnanensis'' {{small|(Kuang & A.M.Lu) Hunz.}}
==References== {{Commons category}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q310998}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Withania Category:Solanaceae genera Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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