Chinese Clinopodium

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese Clinopodium

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Satureja chinensis
• Calamintha chinensis
• Calamintha clinopodium var. chinensis

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Lamiales, and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Clinopodium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the diverse landscapes of the Russian Far East. Its natural habitat extends across the Amur region, where it thrives in specific ecological niches. Additionally, the species is distributed through the Khabarovsk and Primorye territories. The plant's range also reaches the island territories, specifically including Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Consequently, its geographical presence is concentrated in these distinct maritime and continental areas of the Russian Far East.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Clinopodium chinense is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to a wide range of environmental settings and successional stages. This species thrives in diverse landscapes, frequently colonizing disturbed or nutrient-rich areas such as crop fields, dumps, and old fields, where it can establish itself amidst shifting soil conditions. It also demonstrates a strong presence in more stable and natural ecosystems, inhabiting forest margins, meadows, and shrubberies, where it benefits from varied light availability and moisture levels. Furthermore, its ability to grow near rivers suggests a tolerance for riparian zones and varying degrees of soil moisture, allowing it to integrate effectively into both open, sun-exposed habitats and more sheltered, shaded environments.

Habitat :

crop fields, dump, forest, meadows, old fields, rivers, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Clinopodium chinense is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Structurally, the plant functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or seasonal debris. This growth strategy, consistent across its life form classifications as both a hemicryptophyte and a hemi-cryptophyte, enables the species to endure varying environmental conditions and successfully re-emerge during favorable periods of the annual cycle.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Clinopodium chinense is characterized by a growth form classified as a herb and a forb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its vegetative development. This species is a self-supporting plant, functioning without the need for climbing mechanisms such as lianas or vines, as it maintains a self-supporting habit rather than being an obligatory or facultative climber. In terms of its ecological positioning, it is an independent organism that does not act as a parasite, maintaining a terrestrial existence rather than being an epiphyte. While its habitat can range across different moisture levels, its primary morphological classification falls within the terrestrial spectrum, spanning aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial environments.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clinopodium chinense is characterized by its efficient metabolic processes tailored to its environmental niche, most notably through its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, its carbon fixation process begins with the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) by the enzyme RuBisCO, leading to the immediate formation of a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate. This pathway dictates the plant's stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, as it relies on maintaining open stomata for CO2 uptake, which inherently links gas exchange with transpiration rates. Furthermore, its physiological framework includes the synthesis and storage of secondary metabolites, which are integrated into its metabolic pathways to serve various biological functions. The metabolic energy derived from its C3 cycle fuels its growth, reproductive development, and the complex biochemical synthesis required for its medicinal properties.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clinopodium chinense is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle that dictates its reproductive success. The flowering process begins in July and continues through the late summer months, reaching its conclusion in September. This temporal window ensures that the plant's reproductive efforts are concentrated during a particular period of the year, facilitating the pollination processes necessary for seed production.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Clinopodium chinense has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. BMC plant biology

Chemicals

Clinopodium chinense has 24 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, TOURNEFOLIC ACID B, Buddlejasaponin Ivb, Buddleoside, Didymin.

Flavonoids

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Natural product research

TOURNEFOLIC ACID B

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Buddlejasaponin Ivb

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Buddleoside

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Didymin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

ETHYL ROSMARINATE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Isosakuranetin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Isosakuranin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Nairutin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Saikosaponin A

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Clinopodium chinense has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiradiation, Antitumor.

Antiradiation

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antitumor

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Clinopodium chinense has 14 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation, Insulin Resistance, apoptosis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations