John Charles-weed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• John Charles-weed
• grand baume
• wild basilic
• Desert lavender

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Mesosphaerum verticillatum
• Stachys patens
• Hyptis pringlei
• Hyptis verticillata
• Hyptis parviflora
• Hyptis axillaris
• Mentha hyptiformis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, falling into the family Lamiaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Condea, specifically as the species Condea verticillata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across the Pacific and North America. In the North-Central Pacific, it can be found growing in Hawaii. Its range also extends to the Southeastern United States, specifically within the state of Florida. Within Mexico, the species is widely distributed across the Central, Northeast, and Gulf regions. This broad presence highlights the adaptable nature of the plant across various subtropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Condea verticillata is characterized by its ability to inhabit a broad altitudinal spectrum, spanning from sea level up to an elevation of 1000 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of adaptability to varying environmental gradients, allowing the species to persist in both coastal lowland habitats and lower montane ecosystems. By occupying niches from 0 to 1000 m AMSL, the plant likely encounters diverse microclimates, varying levels of humidity, and shifting soil compositions, which necessitates physiological flexibility to thrive across these distinct ecological zones.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Condea verticillata is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle within a single year. In terms of its growth habit and structural strategy, the plant is classified as a chamaephyte, meaning its perennating buds are located close to the soil surface, typically just above the ground level, which helps protect its vital tissues during unfavorable environmental conditions.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Condea verticillata is characterized by a versatile growth habit that ranges from a woody shrub to a forb, depending on its specific environmental context. As a plant capable of occupying various niches, it exhibits a flexible ecological profile, existing in aquatic, semiaquatic, or terrestrial habitats. While it possesses the structural capacity to act as a self-supporting climber, it does not function as an obligatory vine or liana, often maintaining a self-supporting stature. In its growth patterns, it can present as a woody organism or a more herbaceous forb, demonstrating significant morphological plasticity. Furthermore, the plant is an independent organism that does not rely on parasitic relationships, and in terms of its epiphytic potential, it remains strictly terrestrial rather than functioning as a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Condea verticillata has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (r)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one, ALPHA-PINENE, BETA-PINENE, Lignans, Sideritoflavone.

(r)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

ALPHA-PINENE

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

BETA-PINENE

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Lignans

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Sideritoflavone

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

THYMOL

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

podophyllotoxin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

rosmarinic acid

1. Planta medica
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

(-)-yatein

1. Journal of natural products

2-alpha-Hydroxyursolic acid

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Condea verticillata has 41 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimitotic, Antioxidant, Antisecretory, Antiviral.

Antibacterial

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimitotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antisecretory

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of natural products

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anticondylomata

1. Dr. Duke

Antiestrogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Condea verticillata has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, essential oil.

Aqueous extract

1. Planta medica

Essential oil

1. Planta medica