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Streptosolen is a genus with a single species, Streptosolen jamesonii, the marmalade or fire bush, an evergreen shrub grown for its clusters of flowers that turn from yellow to red. It is grown mainly in mild climates or as a greenhouse plant elsewhere.
Streptosolen is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae. It is closely related to the genus Browallia, within which it was originally placed. The single species, Streptosolen jamesonii, the marmalade bush or fire bush, is an evergreen shrub bearing loose clusters of flowers which change gradually from yellow to red as they develop, resulting in an overall appearance resembling orange marmalade (whence the name), found in open woodlands in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. The plant has become naturalized in certain localities in Hawaii.
The red colouration (at maturity) of the flowers of Streptosolen jamesonii is typical of that of bird-pollinated flowers, as also is their lack of a strong scent and secretion of a great deal of nectar.
In the UK this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. With a minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F), this plant must be overwintered indoors in frost-prone areas.
For the opportunity of figuring this very interesting plant we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Son, by whom it was lately introduced, and in whose nursery it was blooming profusely in June, 1848.
Streptosolen jamesonii has been found to contain alkaloids which are also present in various Nicotiana species and also in Salpiglossis sinuata: nornicotine (principal alkaloid), nicotine and anabasine.
Nornicotine has been found to have effects that are initially depressant and subsequently stimulant. It also increases intestinal motility through overall parasympathetic stimulation of the GI tract, which, in combination with its toxicity to parasitic worms, could account for the use of Streptosolen as an anthelmintic. Furthermore, the observation by Ecuadorian cattle-herders of their cattle's possible self-medication by consumption of Streptosolen foliage would have led to the realization that the plant was non-toxic enough to be used as emergency cattle fodder (see above) and could even have the positive benefit of ridding the animals of parasitic worms (re. observation of increased worm-burden in cattle dung).
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Streptosolen by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
