Lamb of Tartary

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Lamb of Tartary
• Scythian-lamb
• Golden Chicken Fern

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dicksonia barometz
• Polypodium barometz
• Balantium glaucescens
• Cibotium assamicum
• Cibotium djambianum
• Cibotium glaucescens
• Cibotium glaucophyllum
• Dicksonia assamica
• Cibotium sumatranum
• Aspidium barometz
• Nephrodium barometz

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Polypodiinae, it is ordered under Cyatheales and placed in the family Cyatheaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Cibotium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical presence across several key regions of East Asia. Within China, it can be found spanning from the South-Central provinces to the island of Hainan. Its distribution also extends into the China Southeast region and reaches the high-altitude areas of Tibet. Beyond mainland China, the species is located within the Nansei-shoto islands of Eastern Asia. Together, these locations define the specific ecological range where the species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Cibotium barometz is characterized by its classification as a chamaephyte, a life form that typically maintains its buds close to the soil surface to survive varying environmental conditions. This plant functions as an evergreen species, maintaining its foliage throughout the year rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding process. Within the broader spectrum of botanical life forms, its biological strategy aligns with the chamaephyte category, positioning it as a perennial herb that relies on its persistent vegetative structures to navigate its specific ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

chamaephyte

Morphology

The morphology of Cibotium barometz is characterized by its growth form as a large herb that exhibits a woody structure. This plant typically reaches a plant height with a mean of approximately 1.5 m. Regarding its climbing habit, it is classified as a self-supporting plant.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height mean:

1.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cibotium barometz is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional strategies adapted to its forest understory habitat. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common mechanism for shade-tolerant ferns that facilitates carbon fixation through the Calvin cycle under relatively low light intensities. Regarding its nutrient acquisition, Cibotium barometz is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it relies on the absorption of nitrogenous compounds directly from the organic matter and soil in its environment.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cibotium barometz has 2 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 rhizome, leaf.

Rhizome

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Leaf

1. Drug design, development and therapy

Chemicals

Cibotium barometz has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (-)-Catechin, (-)-Epicatechin, Apigenin 7-glucoside, ERIODICTYOL, Flavonoids.

(-)-Catechin

1. Frontiers in plant science

(-)-Epicatechin

1. Frontiers in plant science

Apigenin 7-glucoside

1. Frontiers in plant science

ERIODICTYOL

1. Frontiers in plant science

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in plant science

Vitexin

1. Frontiers in plant science

apigenin

1. Frontiers in plant science

naringenin chalcone

1. Frontiers in plant science

naringenin-7-glucoside

1. Frontiers in plant science

Activities

Cibotium barometz has 1 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial.

Antibacterial

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Conditions

Cibotium barometz has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include gastric ulcer, osteoporosis, pain, post-menopausal osteoporosis, postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Gastric ulcer

1. Drug design, development and therapy

Osteoporosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pain

1. Frontiers in plant science

Post-menopausal osteoporosis

1. Current drug targets

Postmenopausal osteoporosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Prostate cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Cibotium barometz has 15 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Cibotium barometz extract, accelerated solvent extraction followed by gradient extrography, chloroform, cibotii rhizoma ("Gouji"), ethanol.

Cibotium barometz extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Accelerated solvent extraction followed by gradient extrography

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chloroform

1. Journal de mycologie medicale

Cibotii rhizoma ("gouji")

1. Frontiers in plant science

Ethanol

1. Journal de mycologie medicale

Ethyl acetate

1. Journal de mycologie medicale

Fractions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hexane

1. Journal de mycologie medicale

Methanol

1. Journal de mycologie medicale

Plant extract

1. Drug design, development and therapy