Larrea

Larrea is a genus of five species of New World evergreen shrubs that includes the Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) of North America and the Jarillas of South America.

Species
Larrea tridentata, known as creosote bush (or chaparral when used as a medicinal herb), is a flowering plant in the family Zygophyllaceae. It is a prominent species in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts of western North America, including portions of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and western Texas in the United States, and northern Chihuahua in Mexico. It is closely related to the South American Larrea divaricata, and was formerly treated as the same species.
It is an evergreen shrub growing to 1-3 m tall, rarely 4 m. The stems of the plant bear resinous, dark green leaves with two leaflets joined at the base, each leaflet 7-18 mm long and 4-8.5 mm broad. The flowers are up to 25 mm diameter, with five yellow petals. The whole plant exhibits a characteristic odor of creosote, from which the common name derives.
Creosote bush is most common on the well-drained soils of bajadas and flats. In parts of its range, it may cover large areas in practically pure stands, though it usually occurs in association with Ambrosia dumosa (burrow bush or bur-sage). Despite this common habitat, creosote bush roots have been found to produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of burrow bush roots, and much of their relationship is currently unexplained.
Creosote Bush (referred to as chaparral when used as an herbal remedy) is widely used as a herbal supplement and was used by Native Americans in the Southwest as an effective sunscreen and potent antioxidant for the treatment of blood poisoning and hepatic diseases. Clinical studies of the compounds in this plant have verified both the plants effectiveness in treating these disorders, as well as its toxicity to human liver cells.
Studies have verified that ingestion of the compounds in this plant have been linked to a higher incidence of liver cancer in certain susceptible groups, although extracts of this plant also appear to be cytotoxic and inhibitory to other forms of cancers. The U.S. FDA has issued warnings about the health hazards of ingesting creosote bush or using it as an internal medicine and discourages its use.

Larrea divaricata

Larrea ameghinoi

Larrea nitida

Larrea cuneifolia

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