Actaea pachypoda
Doll's-eyes
Actaea pachypoda, commonly known as Doll's Eyes, is a striking perennial herb native to North American woodlands. Distinguished by its white berries featuring distinctive black dots, it offers unique aesthetic beauty. However, caution is essential, as all parts of this plant are highly toxic if ingested by humans or animals.
- Scientific name: Actaea pachypoda
- Family: Ranunculaceae
- Native range: Northern America
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known as Actaea pachypoda, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Ranunculales and the family Ranunculaceae. It is specifically classified under the genus Actaea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ranunculales | WCVP |
| Family | Ranunculaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Actaea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Actaea pachypoda, is referred to by various names depending on the language. In Danish, it is called Hvid Druemunke, while in Russian, it is known as Воронец толстоножковый. In Polish, the species is called Czerniec grubopędowy, and in Estonian, it is referred to as Valge siumari. Furthermore, in Japanese, its name is written as アクタエア・パキポダ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| da | Hvid Druemunke | Wikidata |
| ru | Воронец толстоножковый | Wikidata |
| pl | Czerniec grubopędowy | Wikidata |
| ja | アクタエア・パキポダ | Wikidata |
| et | Valge siumari | Wikidata |
| zh | 白果类叶升麻 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 白果类叶升麻 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 白果類葉昇麻 | Wikidata |
| bn | পুতুলিজাম | Wikidata |
| es | Actaea alba | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across several provinces within Eastern Canada. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Its range also extends through the province of Ontario. Additionally, the species is present on Prince Edward Island. Finally, the geographical spread includes the large territory of Québec.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Canada | New Brunswick | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Nova Scotia | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Ontario | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Prince Edward I. | WCVP |
| Eastern Canada | Québec | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Illinois | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Iowa | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Kansas | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Minnesota | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Missouri | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Mayapple or Bloodroot, possesses various structural components, though its most significant medicinal and toxic elements are often concentrated in its subterranean structures. The roots of Actaea pachypoda consist of a thick, fleshy rhizome that grows horizontally beneath the soil surface. These rhizomes are highly potent and contain concentrated alkaloids, which historically have been used in traditional medicine but also pose a significant risk of toxicity if mishandled.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Actaea pachypoda has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 12-deacetoxyactaeaepoxide 3-O-beta-d-xylopyranoside, 12beta-acetoxycimigenol, 7,8-dihydroactaeaepoxide 3-O-beta-d-xylopyranoside.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 12-deacetoxyactaeaepoxide 3-O-beta-d-xylopyranoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 12beta-acetoxycimigenol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 7,8-dihydroactaeaepoxide 3-O-beta-d-xylopyranoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |