Salvia includes about 1,000 species of shrubs, herbs, and annuals, with diverse flower colors and shapes. The genus is known for its unusual pollination mechanism that involves a lever arm on the stamens and a bent stigma. · Salvia divinorum is a plant native to Mexico and Central and South America that contains salvinorin A, a potent psychoactive compound. Learn how salvia is used, what dosage guidelines are, what effects and risks it may have, and what the legal status is. · What Is Salvia? Salvia is an herb in the mint family known for its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects. 1,3 The primary psychoactive component of salvia, salvinorin A, is a kappa opioid receptor agonist capable of eliciting powerful alterations in visual perception, thinking, mood, and behavior. 1,5 · Salvia is an herb in the mint family that is indigenous to Oaxaca, Mexico. 1 It has traditionally been used ceremoniously. In more recent years, however, it has begun to be used recreationally. Its hallucinogenic effects have a rapid onset and can last several minutes to several hours. What is Salvia? Salvia, commonly known as Sage, is a diverse and fascinating genus of flowering plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae), encompassing over 900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. What is Salvia Divinorum? Salvia divinorum is a perennial herb in the mint family that is abused for its hallucinogenic effects. salvia, (genus Salvia), genus of about 960 species of herbaceous and woody plants of the mint family (Lamiaceae). The genus is distributed throughout Eurasia and the Americas and is especially diverse in Central America and in the Mediterranean region.