Chuquiraga jussieui
StarChuquiraga jussieui
Synonyms: Chuquiraga insignis var. microphylla, Chuquiraga insignis var. lancifolia, Chuquiraga insignis var. genuina, Chuquiraga pseudoruscifolia, Chuquiraga jussieui var. lancifolia, Chuquiraga lancifolia, Chuquiraga peruviana, Chuquiraga microphylla, Chuquiraga fruticosa, Lychnophora vanisschoti, Joannesia insignis, Johannia lancifolia, Johannia microphylla, Chuquiraga insignis, Johannia insignis
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Known in the Andes as "chuquiragua" or "amaro," the flowering tops of Chuquiraga jussieui are prepared as a bitter infusion taken for liver and urinary complaints, fevers, and altitude-related malaise, and as a general bitter tonic in Ecuadorian and Peruvian highland folk medicine (Hoffmann et al., 1992, Plantas Medicinales de Uso Común en Chile y los Andes; Vidari et al., 2003, documenting sesquiterpene constituents). It remains a popular market remedy in Quito and Cuenca.
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Botanical Description
Chuquiraga jussieui is a small evergreen shrub of the Asteraceae family endemic to the high Andes of Ecuador, Colombia, and northern Peru, where it characterizes the páramo grasslands between roughly 3000 and 4500 m. It grows 30–100 cm tall with rigid, leathery, sharp-pointed leaves densely overlapping the stems. The brilliant orange to golden discoid flower heads are solitary at branch tips, surrounded by imbricate, spine-tipped involucral bracts, and are pollinated by hummingbirds (notably the Ecuadorian hillstar, Oreotrochilus chimborazo). Achenes are silky-pubescent with a feathery pappus. The plant tolerates cold nights, intense UV, and frost-prone soils typical of the high páramo.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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