Hebanthe erianthos

Hebanthe erianthos (many synonyms, including Iresine erianthos and Pfaffia paniculata),^[1] known as suma or Brazilian ginseng, is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. The specific epithet is also spelt "eriantha", although the basionym is Iresine erianthos.^[2]

Hebanthe erianthos
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Hebanthe
Species:	H. erianthos
Binomial name
Hebanthe erianthos (Poir.) Pedersen
Synonyms[1]
Celosia eriantha Vahl ex Moq. Gomphrena erianthos (Poir.) Moq. Gomphrena paniculata (Mart.) Moq. Gomphrena paniculata f. ovatifolia Heimerl Hebanthe paniculata Mart. Hebanthe paniculata f. ovatifolia (Heimerl) Borsch & Pedersen Hebanthe virgata Mart. Iresine erianthos Poir. Iresine paniculata (Mart.) Spreng. Iresine tenuis Suess. Iresine virgata Spreng. Pfaffia erianthos (Poir.) Kuntze Pfaffia laurifolia Chodat Pfaffia paniculata (Mart.) Kuntze Pfaffia paniculata f. lanceolata R.E.Fr. Pfaffia paraguayensis Chodat Xeraea paniculata (Mart.) Kuntze

The root of this rambling ground vine found in South America is used traditionally as a medicine and tonic. Nicknamed "para tudo" in Brasil, which means "for everything", suma is a traditional herbal medicine.^[3]

The root contains phytochemicals including saponins (pfaffosides).^[4]

See also

• List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil