Annual Para Cress

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Annual Para Cress
• Paniculated Spot Flowers
• Para Cress
• Para Cress Flower
• Toothache Plant

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Coreopsis acmella
• Pyrethrum acmella
• Spilanthes acmella
• Bidens acmella
• Blainvillea rhomboidea var. racemosa
• Blainvillea rhomboidea var. polycephala
• Blainvillea alba
• Ecliptica latifolia
• Blainvillea hispida
• Verbesina acmella
• Eisenmannia clandestina
• Oligogyne burchellii
• Blainvillea latifolia
• Blainvillea polycephala
• Verbesina lanceolata
• Eclipta latifolia
• Blainvillea racemosa
• Calyptocarpus burchellii
• Ceratocephalus acmella
• Blainvillea rhomboidea var. lanceolata
• Acmella mauritiana

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Specifically, it is identified by its genus name, Blainvillea, and its species designation, acmella.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several distinct African regions. In Northern Africa, its presence is recorded within the borders of Egypt. Moving toward West Tropical Africa, it can be found in both Benin and Burkina. Its range extends further into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically within the Central African Republic. Additionally, the species is distributed across the islands of the Gulf of Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Blainvillea acmella is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions across specific Brazilian biomes, including Anthropogenic areas, the Caatinga (strict sense), and the Cerrado (latu sensu). This species thrives within a distinct altitudinal gradient, occupying mountainous or upland regions at elevations ranging from a minimum of 1450 m AMSL to a maximum of 2100 m AMSL. Its presence in both natural formations like the Caatinga and Cerrado, as well as disturbed anthropogenic landscapes, suggests a resilient ecological profile capable of navigating varying levels of habitat modification and moisture availability within these semi-arid and savanna ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

2100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1450 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Caatinga (stricto sensu), Cerrado (lato sensu)

Life history

The life history of Blavensillea acmella is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its growth habit and structural classification, it is categorized as a therophyte, a life form defined by plants that survive unfavorable seasons as ephemeral seeds, rapidly colonizing available space when conditions become favorable. This classification as a therophyte aligns with its status as an annual, ensuring that the species persists through dormant seed stages before emerging to fulfill its reproductive cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Blavensillea acmella is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, displaying a non-woody structure throughout its vegetative development. This plant functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with its host species. In terms of its habitat and ecological positioning, it is a terrestrial species, rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, remaining strictly terrestrial. Regarding its climbing habit, the plant is categorized as a self-supporting entity, possessing the structural integrity to maintain its form without the need for obligatory or facultative climbing mechanisms such as lianas or vines.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiological characteristics of Biancaea acmella (formerly Blanvillea acmella) are closely tied to its leaf morphology, which plays a critical role in its photosynthetic efficiency and metabolic processes. The leaf dimensions exhibit significant variability, reflecting the plant's adaptive capacity to its environment. Specifically, the leaf length demonstrates a range from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 7 cm, with a mean length of approximately 5.5 cm. Complementing this longitudinal growth, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 3 cm. These precise morphological parameters dictate the surface area available for gas exchange and light interception, thereby influencing the plant's overall energy production and physiological vigor.

Leaf length max:

7 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Blaviansvillea acmella is characterized by the production of specialized fruit and seeds with highly specific physical dimensions. The fruit produced by this species is remarkably consistent in size, maintaining a uniform length of 0.4 cm, as indicated by a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 0.4 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit slight variations in mass, ranging from a minimum of 0.0028 g to a maximum of 0.0038 g, with an overall mean seed mass calculated at 0.0033 g. These precise morphological traits play a crucial role in the plant's reproductive success and dispersal mechanisms.

Fruit length max:

0.4 cm

Seed mass max:

0.0038 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0033 g

Seed mass min:

0.0028 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Blainvillea acmella has 3 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, stem.

Leaf

1. Environmental monitoring and assessment
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Flower

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Stem

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Chemicals

Blainvillea acmella has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Spilanthol, Flavonoid, Flavonoids, Phytol, Pinostrobin.

Spilanthol

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. International journal of molecular sciences

Flavonoid

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Flavonoids

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Phytol

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Pinostrobin

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Vanillic acid

1. International journal of molecular sciences

apigenin

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

scopoletin

1. International journal of molecular sciences

trans-Ferulic Acid

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Activities

Blainvillea acmella has 11 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anesthetic, Anticonvulsant, Antifungal.

Antioxidant

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Advances in pharmacological sciences
3. International journal of environmental research and public health

Analgesic

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Anesthetic

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Anticonvulsant

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Antifungal

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Antimicrobial

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Antipyretic

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Antiseptic

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Aphrodisiac

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Diuretic

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Conditions

Blainvillea acmella has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include toothache.

Toothache

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Preparations

Blainvillea acmella has 4 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ethanolic extracts, Extracts, Spilanthes acmella extract, leaf extract.

Ethanolic extracts

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Extracts

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Spilanthes acmella extract

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Leaf extract

1. Environmental monitoring and assessment