leopard's bane

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Leopard's Bane
• Mountain Snuff
• Mountain Tobacco
• Wolf's Bane
• European arnica
• leopardsbane
• mountain arnica
• mountain-tobacco

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Arnica montana, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and is situated within the genus Arnica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented in the countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Moving toward the central part of the continent, the species is also found throughout Middle Europe. Specifically, it inhabits certain areas within Austria. Additionally, the plant's range extends into Belgium, marking its occurrence in Middle Europe.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Arnica montana is characterized by its preference for specific open landscapes, primarily thriving within forest clearings and alpine or subalpine meadows. It is most frequently found in mountain regions where it colonizes well-drained, acidic soils, typically inhabiting dry meadows that receive ample sunlight. These habitats often feature nutrient-poor environments, as the plant is adapted to compete in less fertile ground where other, more aggressive vegetation may struggle to establish. The distribution of the species is closely tied to these open, montane ecosystems, where the combination of sunlight exposure and specific soil moisture levels in mountain meadows facilitates its growth cycle.

Habitat :

forest, meadows, meadows: dry, mountains

Life history

The life history of Arnica montana is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or snow during unfavorable conditions. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it transitions through its seasonal cycles. Through its perennial life cycle and hemicryptophytic life form, it effectively manages its energy reserves to survive in its natural alpine and subalpine habitats.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Arnica montana is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that grows independently, without being an epiphyte or a parasite. In terms of its stature, the plant exhibits a variable height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.275 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.275 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Arnica montana is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in its typical alpine or subalpine habitats. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on soil-derived nutrients and autotrophic production rather than trapping prey. Morphologically, its foliage displays a mean leaf size of approximately 16.015 cm², a dimension that contributes to its overall surface area for gas exchange and light interception. This leaf architecture is further defined by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 193.85 cm²/g, a metric that reflects the relationship between the leaf's photosynthetic capacity and its structural biomass investment.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

16.015 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

193.85 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Arnica montana is driven by a sexual process, as both asexual reproduction and self-fertilization are absent. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in August. This reproductive cycle relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects such as bees to facilitate pollen transfer. The plant produces fruits classified as achenes, which are indehiscent in nature. Following fertilization, the seeds are produced with a mean mass of 0.00157 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00157 g to a maximum of 0.00177 g. Dispersal of these seeds is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are primarily dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.00177 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00157 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Arnica montana has 1 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower.

Flower

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Natural product communications
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Biological chemistry
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Arnica montana has 84 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include HELENALIN, Flavonoids, Dihydrohelenalin, Gallic acid, Germacrene D.

HELENALIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological chemistry
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Frontiers in plant science

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product communications

Dihydrohelenalin

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of AOAC International

Germacrene D

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

ISOBUTYRIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

SLS

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in plant science

Thymol methyl ether

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

arnifolin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Contact dermatitis

(E)-Caryophyllene

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Activities

Arnica montana has 367 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anticancer.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Roumanian archives of microbiology and immunology

Antifungal

1. Archives of oral biology
2. Roumanian archives of microbiology and immunology
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitussive

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives of oral biology

Conditions

Arnica montana has 34 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, pain, traumas, wounds, Acinetobacter baumannii.

Inflammation

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Pain

1. The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery
2. Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy

Traumas

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Wounds

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Planta medica

Acinetobacter baumannii

1. Genes

Acute coronary syndrome

1. Minerva cardioangiologica

Allergy

1. Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete

Analgesic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anaplastic astrocytoma

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antioxidant

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Arnica montana has 17 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, Arnica tincture (AT), Essential Oil, Traumeel S, Whole plant methanolic extracts.

Extracts

1. Archives of oral biology
2. Dentistry journal

Arnica tincture (at)

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Essential oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Traumeel s

1. Complementary therapies in medicine

Whole plant methanolic extracts

1. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Essential oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Ethanol extract

1. Journal of dermatological science

Ethanolic extract prepared from the flowerheads

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Extract

1. Arzneimittel-Forschung

Homeopathic dilutions

1. Journal of integrative medicine