Bischofia polycarpa
Bischofia polycarpa, commonly known as "pau-ferro" in Brazil, is a versatile medicinal plant highly valued in traditional folk medicine. Native to Atlantic Forest regions, its bark and leaves possess significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and healing properties, making it a crucial natural resource for treating various skin and systemic ailments.
- Scientific name: Bischofia polycarpa
- Family: Phyllanthaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malpighiales and the family Phyllanthaceae. Its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Bischofia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Phyllanthaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bischofia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Bischofia polycarpa, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is called 重阳木, a name used across several variations including the simplified form 重阳木 (zh-cn), the traditional form 重陽木 (zh-tw), and the Cantonese designation 重陽木 (yue). In Russian, the species is commonly known as Бишофия многоплодная (ru).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 重阳木 | Wikidata |
| ru | Бишофия многоплодная | Wikidata |
| yue | 重陽木 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 重阳木 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 重陽木 | Wikidata |
| zh | 红桐 | Wikidata |
| zh | 水枧木 | Wikidata |
| zh | 乌杨 | Wikidata |
| zh | 茄冬树 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Bischofiia polycarpia, exhibits a specific range across the landscape of China. Its presence is documented within the regions of China South-Central. Furthermore, the species can be found extending into China North-Central. The geographical reach of this medicinal plant also includes the areas of China Southeast. Together, these regions define the primary natural distribution of this important botanical species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
Chemicals
Bischofia polycarpa has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include alpha-linolenic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| alpha-linolenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| linolenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| palmitic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |