Boophone disticha
Bushman poison bulb
Boophone disticha, commonly known as the Century Plant or Smilax Lily, is a perennial bulbous plant native to Southern Africa. Renowned for its potent medicinal properties, it contains toxic alkaloids used traditionally to treat respiratory ailments and skin conditions, though careful dosage is essential due to its high toxicity.
- Scientific name: Boophone disticha
- Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asparagales. Finally, Boophone disticha is a member of the family Amaryllidaceae and falls within the genus Boophone.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asparagales | WCVP |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Boophone | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Boophone disticha, is referred to by various names across different languages and regions. In Arabic, it is called ذعاقة سامة, while in Chinese, it is identified by the names 布风花, 布风花, and 布风花. Additionally, in Sesotho, the plant is commonly known as Kgutsana ya naha.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ar | ذعاقة سامة | Wikidata |
| zh | 布风花 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 布风花 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 布风花 | Wikidata |
| st | Kgutsana ya naha | Wikidata |
| de | Fächerlilie | Wikidata |
| de | Boophane disticha | Wikidata |
| vi | Boophane disticha | Wikidata |
| es | Boophane disticha | Wikidata |
| it | Boophane disticha | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, its presence is recorded in Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moving toward the northeast, the species can also be found throughout Sudan and South Sudan. Additionally, its distribution extends into East Tropical Africa, specifically within Kenya. These various regions highlight the significant tropical range of the species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Burundi | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Boophone disticha, is a unique medicinal species characterized by its specialized underground structures. The most significant part of the plant is its large, perennial bulb, which serves as a storage organ for nutrients and is frequently utilized in traditional medicine. While some related species may possess smaller bulbs or offsets, the primary bulb of this plant is its most distinctive feature. In addition to its underground storage, the plant produces long, strap-like leaves that emerge directly from the base, forming a striking rosette pattern.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bulbs | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bulb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Boophone disticha has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include buphanidrine, buphanamine, cycloeucalenol, distichamine.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| buphanidrine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| buphanamine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cycloeucalenol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| distichamine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Boophone disticha has 10 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include depression, anxiety disorders, cancer, infections, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| depression | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiety disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| motor neuron disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| psychosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wounds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |