Bistorta
Bistorta, commonly known as knotweed, is a resilient genus of flowering plants valued in traditional herbal medicine. Renowned for its potent astringent properties, various species are utilized to treat skin inflammations, wound healing, and digestive issues. Its unique, thickened stem nodes and vibrant blooms make it botanically distinctive.
- Scientific name: Bistorta
- Family: Polygonaceae
- 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 Polygonaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the specific genus Bistorta.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Polygonaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bistorta | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by various regional names, is recognized in different languages as rdesno in Czech, Slangeurt-slægten in Danish, and konnantattaret in Finnish. In Russian, it is referred to as Змеевик, while in Kazakh, it is known as Жылан таран.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| cs | rdesno | Wikidata |
| da | Slangeurt-slægten | Wikidata |
| fi | konnantattaret | Wikidata |
| ru | Змеевик | Wikidata |
| kk | Жылан таран | Wikidata |
| ja | イブキトラノオ属 | Wikidata |
| sv | Ormrötter | Wikidata |
| ar | أنجبار | Wikidata |
| be | Змеявік | Wikidata |
| sk | hadovník | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution primarily concentrated across the northern regions of Europe. Within Northern Europe, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Denmark and Finland. The species also extends its range to the island territories of the Føroyar. Furthermore, its presence is noted across the coastal areas of Great Britain. Finally, the distribution reaches as far north as the rugged terrain of Iceland.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Svalbard | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
Chemicals
Bistorta has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, terpenes.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| coumarins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sterols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bistorta has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, rheumatism, tuberculosis.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatism | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |