Artemisia macrocephala
Artemisia macrocephala, commonly known as the big-headed wormwood, is a perennial herb native to high-altitude regions. Renowned for its aromatic foliage, this medicinal plant contains bioactive compounds used in traditional remedies to treat digestive ailments, inflammation, and respiratory issues, offering significant therapeutic potential in natural medicine.
- Scientific name: Artemisia macrocephala
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Further taxonomic details place it in the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asterales, specifically within the family Asteraceae. It is identified under the genus Artemisia, where it is known by the species name Artemisia macrocephala.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Artemisia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Artemisia macrocephala, is referred to by several common names depending on the linguistic context and regional usage. In Chinese, it is frequently called 大花蒿 (zh, zh-hans, zh-cn, zh-tw), a name that highlights its botanical characteristics, and it is also commonly known as 草蒿 (zh).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 大花蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 大花蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 大花蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 大花蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh | 草蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh | 戈壁蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh | 鸭脚艾 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several key regions in Northern and Central Asia. In the vast territory of Siberia, it can be found growing in both the Altai and Tuva regions. Moving into Central Asia, the species inhabits the landscapes of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Its range also extends further south into the territory of Western Asia. Specifically, this medicinal herb is documented to grow within the borders of Afghanistan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Siberia | Altay | WCVP |
| Siberia | Tuva | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Tadzhikistan | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Afghanistan | WCVP |
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | Qinghai | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| China | Xinjiang | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Artemisia macrocephala, is a medicinal species where the whole plant is utilized for its therapeutic properties. In various traditional medicinal practices, every part of the herb—including the leaves, stems, and flowers—is often harvested and processed to extract its bioactive compounds. Because the medicinal potency is distributed throughout its entire structure, practitioners frequently employ the whole plant in decoctions, infusions, or dried powdered forms to treat various ailments.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Artemisia macrocephala has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include parishin C.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| parishin C | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |