Aristeguietia gayana
Appearance
Aristeguietia gayana | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Aristeguietia |
Species: | A. gayana
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Binomial name | |
Aristeguietia gayana | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Eupatorium gayanum Wedd. |
Aristeguietia gayana, or asmachilca, is a bush that grows up to 1 meter in height. It grows in the west-facing mountainsides and interandean valleys between 3600–4000 meters in altitude.
Asmachilca is only found in Peru. It was traditionally used by the Incas for respiratory system complaints.[citation needed] Today, it is used in cooking, but tea is the most common preparation.