Symphytum

This article is about the genus of plants known as comfrey. For the place, see Comfrey, Minnesota.

Symphytum
Symphytum caucasicum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Subfamily: Boraginoideae
Genus: Symphytum
Tourn. ex L. (1753)
Type species
Symphytum officinale
L.
Species[1]

27; see text

Synonyms[1]
  • Consolida Riv. ex Ruppius (1745), not validly publ.
  • Procopiania Guşul. (1928)
  • × Procopiphytum Pawł. (1971)

Symphytum is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, Boraginaceae, known by the common name comfrey (pronounced /ˈkʌmfri/, from the Latin confervere to 'heal' or literally to 'boil together', referring to uses in ancient traditional medicine).

Symphytum is native to northern temperate regions of Asia and North America, with a wide introduced distribution on both continents.[2] There are 59 recognized species.[2] Some species and hybrids, particularly S. officinale, Symphytum grandiflorum, and S. × uplandicum, are used in gardening and herbal medicine. Species in the genus Symphytum are different from Andersonglossum virginianum, known as wild comfrey, which is another member of the borage family.[3]

  1. ^ a b Symphytum Tourn. ex L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Symphytum L." The World Flora Online. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  3. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Cynoglossum virginianum​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2018-11-20.