thumb|Heimia salicifolia - [[MHNT]]
Heimia is a genus of flowering plants in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. It contains two or three species of closely related shrubs commonly known as sun opener or shrubby yellowcrest. They are native to the Americas, from northern Argentina north to the southernmost United States (southern Texas). The leaves are 2–5 cm long and 1 cm broad, entire, and variably arranged alternate, opposite or whorled on the stems. All species produce five-petaled yellow flowers. The plants have a history of medicinal use in a variety of American cultures. Several pharmacologically active alkaloids have been detected in the plants.
Species
The genus contains three species. They are similar to the extent that expert knowledge is required to differentiate between specimens of the different species.
Heimia myrtifolia
Heimia myrtifolia is a shrub growing to 1 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5 petaled and 1 cm in diameter. The leaves are approximately 5 mm wide by 2–3 cm long.
Heimia salicifolia
Heimia salicifolia, commonly known as Sinicuichi, is a shrub growing to 3 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5 petaled and 2–3 cm in diameter. The leaves are approximately 1 cm wide and 3–5 cm long.
Heimia montana
Heimia montana is a shrub growing to about 1–2 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5-petaled and slightly smaller than those of Heimia salicifolia, usually around 1–1.5 cm in diameter. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate, about 5–8 mm wide and 2–4 cm long, and occur densely along the stems.
Secondary metabolites
The alkaloid content is similar between the species in the genus.
- (2S,4S,10R)-4-(3-Hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-quinolizidin-2-acetate
Calderón actually tested the plant and did not experience any noticeable effects. Through a series of exaggerating and dramatizing citations, especially by Victor A. Reko in the first half of the last century, the plant became known as a hallucinogen despite that psychoactive properties of the plant have never been demonstrated. The mildly psychoactive effects described in the original publication have therefore been attributed to a sedative principle or unknown other contents of the brew or, simply, to its alcohol content. which may have contributed to the scientific confusion.