Buddleja incana Ruiz & Pav.

Growth Form

Buddleja incana Ruiz & Pav. is a dioecious species that grows as a tree or shrub, reaching 4 to 15 meters in height.

Trunk Characteristics

The base of its trunk measures less than 50 centimeters across, and its bark is brownish and furrowed.

Branch Traits

Its branches are subquadrangular, covered in tomentum, and grow to form a rounded crown.

Leaf General Features

The species has coriaceous leaves that are mostly oblong in shape, measuring 7 to 21 centimeters long and 1 to 5 centimeters wide.

Leaf Surface Characteristics

The upper leaf surface is glabrescent, and often bullate or rugose, while the lower leaf surface is covered in white or yellowish tomentum.

Inflorescence Structure

Its inflorescences are paniculate, range in color from yellow to orange, and have 2 to 3 orders of leafy-bracted branches.

Flower Details

These branches bear heads 1 to 1.5 centimeters in diameter, each holding 15 to 40 individual flowers, with corollas 3 to 4 millimeters long.

Ploidy

The ploidy of Buddleja incana is 2n = 76.

Geographical Distribution

This species is found in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Habitat and Elevation

It grows in canyon bottoms alongside streams at elevations between 2,700 and 4,500 meters.

Folk Medicinal Uses

In folk medicine, its leaves are used to treat toothache and as a diuretic.