Turnera diffusa
<p><i><b>Turnera diffusa</b></i>, known as <b>damiana</b>, is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub" title="Shrub">shrub</a> native to southwestern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnera_diffusa#cite_note-3">[3]</a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_America" title="Central America">Central America</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America" title="South America">South America</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean">Caribbean</a>. </p>
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It belongs to the family <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passifloraceae" title="Passifloraceae">Passifloraceae</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-GRIN_2-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnera_diffusa#cite_note-GRIN-2">[2]</a></sup>
Damiana is a relatively small shrub that produces small, aromatic flowers. </p>
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It blossoms in early to late summer and is followed by fruits that taste similar to figs. </p>
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The shrub is said to have a strong spice-like odor somewhat like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamomile" title="Chamomile">chamomile</a>, due to the essential oils present in the plant.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnera_diffusa#cite_note-4">[4]</a></sup></p>
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf" title="Leaf">leaves</a> have traditionally been made into a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbal_tea" title="Herbal tea">tea</a> and an incense which was used by native people of Central and South America for its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relaxing" title="Relaxing" class="mw-redirect">relaxing</a> effects. </p>
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Spanish missionaries first recorded that the Mexican Indians drank Damiana tea mixed with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar" title="Sugar">sugar</a> for use as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodisiac" title="Aphrodisiac">aphrodisiac</a>.</p>