Vestia Foetida

Vestia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae containing the single species Vestia foetida (syn. V. lycioides). Its principal common names in the Mapudungun language of its native Chile are Huevil (pron. "wayfil" and sometimes redoubled Huevilhuevil) and Chuplín. Other Chilean names include Chuplí, Echuelcún and Palqui (negro) (this last being also applied to Cestrum parqui), while an English common name Chilean box thorn has also been coined recently in reference to a certain similarity of the plant to some species in the box thorn / wolfberry genus Lycium (as referenced also in the former specific name lycioides, meaning "Lycium-like"). Vestia foetida is endemic to central and southern Chile, being found in an area stretching from the Valparaíso Region in the north to Chiloé Island (in the Los Lagos Region) in the south. Growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall by 1.5 m (5 ft) broad, it is an evergreen shrub with glossy, privet-like, mid-green leaves. In spring and summer it bears tubular yellow flowers to 3 cm (1 in) long, with stamens so markedly exserted (= protruding) as to recall those of certain Fuchsia species, followed by 4-valved, ovoid capsules to 1 cm (0 in), containing small, prismatic seeds.The specific epithet foetida refers to the unpleasant smell of this plant.

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