Botany

Euphrasia

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'. 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.

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See also

• ▸Aloinopsis schooneesii
• ▸Agapetes
• ▸Crossosomataceae

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