Vernonia
Vernonia are plants in the Asteraceae family. The Vernonia genus comprises some 1,000 species. It is named after the English botanist William Vernon. The various species have flowers that are often purplish-pink, sometimes white. Some have edible leaves and medicinal properties, such as Vernonia amygdalina, used to combat parasitic worms, diarrhea, dysentery and malaria. In Africa, they are used in traditional pharmacopoeia for gastric problems and parasitic worms.