Euphrasia

{{Short description|Genus of plants knowns as eyebrights}} {{Other uses}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Augentrost.jpg | image_caption = ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' | taxon = Euphrasia | authority = L. | subdivision = About 215, see text | synonyms = * ''Anagosperma'' Wettst. * ''Siphonidium'' J.B.Armstr. }}

'''''Euphrasia''''', or '''eyebright''', is a genus of about 215 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae (formerly included in the Scrophulariaceae), with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are hemiparasitic on grasses and other plants. Both the common and generic names refer to the plant's use in a lotion for treating eye infections, with ''Euphrasia'' literally meaning 'good-cheer'.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gledhill |first=D. |date=1996 |title=''The Names of Plants'' |location=Gateshead |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=101 |isbn=0521366755}}</ref>

Many species are found in alpine or sub-alpine meadows where snow is common. Flowers usually are borne terminally, are zygomorphic, and have a lower petal shaped like a lip. The most common flower colours are purple, blue-white, and violet. Some species have yellow markings on the lower petal to act as a guide to pollinating insects.

Alternative names, mainly in herbalism, are ''Augentrostkraut, Euphrasiae herba, Herba Euphrasiae'' and ''Herbe d'Euphraise''.

==Use in herbalism and medicine== The plant was known to classical herbalists, but then was not referred to until mentioned again in 1305. Nicholas Culpeper assigned it to the Zodiac sign Leo, claiming that it strengthened the brain. It was also used to treat bad memory and vertigo.<ref>{{smallcaps|Howard, Michael}} (1987): ''Traditional Folk Remedies''. Century. p.136</ref>

In the Elizabethan era, the plant was used in ales, and Gervase Markham's ''Countrie Farm'' (1616) said that one should "Drinke everie morning a small draught of Eyebright wine."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FgW4KJUSXkIC&pg=PA292|page=292|title=A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses, Volume 1|author=Grieve, Maud|year=1971|publisher=Courier Corporation |isbn=9780486227986}}</ref>

Herbalists use eyebright as a poultice with or without concurrent administration of a tea for the redness, swelling, and visual disturbances caused by blepharitis, and conjunctivitis. The herb is also used for eyestrain and to relieve inflammation caused by colds, coughs, sinus infections, sore throats, and hay fever.

Parts used include the leaf, the stem, and small pieces of the flowers. Typical preparations include a warm compress, or tea. Eyebright preparations are also available as an extract or capsule.

A 2010 report from the European Medicines Agency on the efficacy of Euphrasia remedies states:

<blockquote>From the presence of secondary metabolites, an astringent and anti-inflammatory activity can be hypothesized for Euphrasia preparations. The ocular use of Euphrasia is based upon tradition. However, since the efficacy of the claimed ocular uses is undocumented and external eye application is not hygienic, therapeutic use cannot be recommended.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Herbal_-_HMPC_assessment_report/2011/01/WC500100385.pdf|title=Assessment report on ''Euphrasia officinalis'' L. and ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' Hayne, herba (Page 13)|access-date=2017-03-29|archive-date=2018-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618162317/http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Herbal_-_HMPC_assessment_report/2011/01/WC500100385.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref></blockquote>

==Phylogeny== The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters.<ref name="Tesitel2010"/><ref name="Scheunert2012"/> ''Euphrasia'' belongs to the core Rhinantheae. ''Euphrasia'' is the sister genus to ''Odontites'', ''Bellardia'', ''Tozzia'', and ''Hedbergia''. In turn, these five genera share phylogenetic affinities with ''Bartsia''.

{{cladogram | title= {{anchor|Clad}}Genus-level cladogram of tribe Rhinantheae. | caption=The cladogram has been reconstructed from nuclear and plastid DNA molecular characters (ITS, ''rps16'' intron and ''trnK'' region).<ref name="Tesitel2010">{{Cite journal |last1=Těšitel |first1=Jakub |last2=Říha |first2=Pavel |last3=Svobodová |first3=Šárka |last4=Malinová |first4=Tamara |last5=Štech |first5=Milan |date=2010-10-28 |title=Phylogeny, life history evolution and biogeography of the rhinanthoid Orobanchaceae |journal=Folia Geobotanica |language=en |volume=45 |issue=4 |pages=347–367 |doi=10.1007/s12224-010-9089-y |bibcode=2010FolGe..45..347T |s2cid=39873516 }}</ref><ref name="Scheunert2012">{{Cite journal |last1=Scheunert |first1=Agnes |last2=Fleischmann |first2=Andreas |last3=Olano-Marín |first3=Catalina |last4=Bräuchler |first4=Christian |last5=Heubl |first5=Günther |date=2012-12-14 |title=Phylogeny of tribe Rhinantheae (Orobanchaceae) with a focus on biogeography, cytology and re-examination of generic concepts |journal=Taxon |volume=61 |issue=6 |pages=1269–1285|doi=10.1002/tax.616008 }}</ref> | align=center | cladogram={{Cladogram of Rhinantheae genera}} }}

==Taxonomy and identification== The genus ''Euphrasia'' is taxonomically complicated due to many species being interfertile and prone to hybridisation. Despite there having been a number of taxonomic revisions<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yeo |first1=P. F. |title=A taxonomic revision of ''Euphrasia'' in Europe |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |date=1978 |volume=77 |issue=4 |pages=223–334 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1978.tb01401.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barker |first1=W. R. |title=Taxonomic studies in ''Euphrasia'' L. (Scrophulariaceae). A revised infrageneric classification, and a revision of the genus in Australia |journal=Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden |date=1982 |volume=5 |pages=1–304 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23873848 |jstor=23873848}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sell |first1=P. D. |last2=Yeo |first2=P. F. |title=A revision of the North American species of ''Euphrasia'' L. (Scrophulariaceae) |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |date=1970 |volume=63 |issue=3 |pages=189–234 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1970.tb02320.x}}</ref> the appropriate rank of many taxa, as well as the relationships between them, remains unclear.

===Selected species=== {{Main|List of Euphrasia species}} [[Image:Euphrasia alpina Alpen-Augentrost.JPG|thumb|right|''Euphrasia alpina'']] [[File:Euphrasia gibbsiae subsp. subglabrifolia.jpg|thumb|right|''Euphrasia gibbsiae'' subsp. ''subglabrifolia'']] [[Image:Euphrasia minima.jpg|thumb|right|''Euphrasia minima'']] [[Image:Euphrasia cuneata 11.JPG|thumb|right|''Euphrasia cuneata'']] {{div col|colwidth=35em}} * ''Euphrasia alpina'' * ''Euphrasia arguta'' – believed extinct until rediscovered in 2008 * ''Euphrasia brevipila'' * ''Euphrasia cambrica'' Pugsley * ''Euphrasia collina'' R.Br. – purple eyebright ** ''Euphrasia collina'' ssp. ''muelleri'' – Mueller's eyebright ** ''Euphrasia collina'' ssp. ''osbornii'' – Osborn's eyebright * ''Euphrasia coreana'' W.Becker – Korean eyebright<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|title=English Names for Korean Native Plants|publisher=Korea National Arboretum|year=2015|isbn=978-89-97450-98-5|location=Pocheon|pages=465|access-date=16 December 2016|via=Korea Forest Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525105020/http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> * ''Euphrasia cuneata'' – North Island eyebright * ''Euphrasia crassiuscula'' Gand * ''Euphrasia fennica'' * ''Euphrasia fragosa'' – shy eyebright, Southport eyebright * ''Euphrasia frigida'' Pugsley – cold-weather eyebright * ''Euphrasia gibbsiae'' * ''Euphrasia glabrescens'' * ''Euphrasia hirtella'' * ''Euphrasia hudsoniana'' – Hudson's eyebright * ''Euphrasia lasianthera'' – hairy eyebright * ''Euphrasia micrantha'' Rchb. * ''Euphrasia minima'' * ''Euphrasia nemorosa'' (Pers.) Wallr. – common eyebright * ''Euphrasia officinalis'' – doctor's eyebright, or medical * ''Euphrasia oakesii'' – Oakes' eyebright * ''Euphrasia parviflora'' * ''Euphrasia pseudokerneri'' Pugsley – chalk eyebright * ''Euphrasia randii'' – small eyebright * ''Euphrasia rostkoviana'' Hayne – red eyebright, "figwort" * ''Euphrasia ruptura'' – extinct * ''Euphrasia salisburgensis'' Funk. * ''Euphrasia scabra'' R.Br. – rough eyebright * ''Euphrasia semipicta'' – peninsula eyebright * ''Euphrasia striata'' R.Br. * ''Euphrasia stricta'' D.Wolff ex J.F.Lehm. * ''Euphrasia subarctica'' – arctic eyebright * ''Euphrasia suborbicularis'' – roundleaf eyebright * ''Euphrasia vernalis'' * ''Euphrasia vigursii'' Davey * ''Euphrasia vinacea'' – glacier eyebright * ''Euphrasia'' sp. 'Bivouac Bay'{{efn|Also known as ''Euphrasia'' sp. 'fabula'; related to but not identical with ''E. fabula''.}} – Bivouac Bay eyebright {{div col end}}

==Footnotes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist|30em}}

Category:Euphrasia Category:Orobanchaceae genera Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Parasitic plants