Amaranthus tricolor
Edible amaranth
Amaranthus tricolor, commonly known as Joseph's Coat, is a striking ornamental plant prized for its vibrant, multi-colored foliage. Beyond its beauty, this species holds significant medicinal value in various cultures, utilized for its nutritional density and potential therapeutic properties to support wellness and treat various traditional ailments.
- Scientific name: Amaranthus tricolor
- Family: Amaranthaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Amaranthaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Amaranthus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Amaranthaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Amaranthus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Amaranthus tricolor, is recognized by various local names across different languages and regions. In Portuguese, it is referred to as tampala, while in Chinese, it is known as 苋 (zh-hans), 莧 (zh-hant), and 莧 (zh-hk). Additionally, in the Malayalam language, it is commonly called മധുരച്ചീര (ml).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pt | tampala | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 苋 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 莧 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 莧 | Wikidata |
| ml | മധുരച്ചീര | Wikidata |
| ja | ヒユ | Wikidata |
| ta | சிறுகீரை | Wikidata |
| az | Üçrəng pəncər | Wikidata |
| lt | Trispalvis burnotis | Wikidata |
| ms | Bayam hijau | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several different continents and climate zones. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Germany. Its presence extends into Southwestern Europe, where it is specifically documented in France. Moving toward Northern Africa, the species is also located in Egypt. Finally, its range reaches West Tropical Africa, with documented occurrences in both Benin and Sierra Leone.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Amaranthus tricolor, offers various components for medicinal and nutritional applications depending on the method of preparation. Researchers often study the therapeutic potential of the whole plants to understand the synergistic effects of its complete chemical profile. Specifically, leaf extracts are frequently utilized in pharmacological studies due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants and flavonoids. Furthermore, the aerial tissue, which includes the stems and leaves above the ground, serves as the primary source for harvesting these beneficial elements, making it the most essential part for both consumption and medicinal processing.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plants | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf extracts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial tissue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Amaranthus tricolor has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include defensin.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| defensin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Amaranthus tricolor has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antinociceptive, Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, Antiulcer.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antinociceptive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiulcer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Amaranthus tricolor has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include coronavirus, dysentery, fibrosis, gastric ulcers, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| coronavirus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dysentery | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fibrosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastric ulcers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| skin diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |