Ardisia crenata
Christmas berry
Ardisia crenata, commonly known as Christmas berry, is a versatile evergreen shrub prized for its vibrant red fruit. Native to tropical regions, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical value. It is widely utilized in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, including inflammation, skin issues, and digestive irregularities through its bioactive compounds.
- Scientific name: Ardisia crenata
- Family: Primulaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further organized into the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ericales, falling under the family Primulaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its membership in the genus Ardisia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ericales | WCVP |
| Family | Primulaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Ardisia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Ardisia crenata, is referred to by various common names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In Finnish, it is simply called ardisia, while in Chinese-speaking regions, its names reflect its traditional usage; it is known as 朱砂根 (Zhūshāgēn) in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans and zh-cn) and as 硃砂根 (Zhūshāgēn) in Traditional Chinese contexts, including those used in Hong Kong (zh-hant and zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fi | ardisia | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 朱砂根 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 硃砂根 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 硃砂根 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 朱砂根 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 朱砂根 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 硃砂根 | Wikidata |
| ja | マンリョウ | Wikidata |
| vi | trọng đũa | Wikidata |
| ko | 백량금 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across different regions of Asia and the Indian Ocean. In the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found inhabiting the islands of Mauritius, Réunion, and the Seychelles. Moving toward the Asian continent, its range extends into the South-Central regions of China. Additionally, the species is documented to grow within the tropical environment of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various island and mainland habitats.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Ardisia crenata, is a medicinal shrub where therapeutic properties can be found in various parts of its anatomy. While the leaves are often the most frequently studied component, the roots are also recognized for their potential medicinal value in traditional practices. Overall, various parts of the plant, including the stems and fruits, are utilized depending on the specific healing application required.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| various parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Ardisia crenata has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include FR900359, bergenin, saponins, (+/-)-catechin, ardisiacrispin A.
- Total chemicals
- 17
- Scientific sources
- 20
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| FR900359 | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bergenin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponins | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+/-)-catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ardisiacrispin A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ardisiacrispin B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ardisicrenoside C | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ardisicrenoside D | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coumarins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| embelin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Ardisia crenata has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Ardisia crenata has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, inflammation, injuries, laryngeal diseases, pulmonary diseases.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| injuries | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| laryngeal diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pulmonary diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatic diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatism | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |