Crinum asiaticum
Poison bulb
Crinum asiaticum, commonly known as the Poison Bulb or Giant Crinum Lily, is a striking perennial plant native to tropical Asia. Renowned for its dramatic white blooms, it holds significant value in traditional medicine, where its bulbous roots are utilized to treat various ailments, despite containing potent alkaloids.
- Scientific name: Crinum asiaticum
- Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Amaryllidaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Crinum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asparagales | WCVP |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Crinum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Crinum asiaticum, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is known as 文殊兰 (zh-hans), 文殊蘭 (zh-hant), and 文殊蘭 (zh-hk). In Korea, the plant is called 문주란 (ko), while in Russia, it is identified as Кринум азиатский (ru).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 文殊兰 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 文殊蘭 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 文殊蘭 | Wikidata |
| ko | 문주란 | Wikidata |
| ru | Кринум азиатский | Wikidata |
| th | พลับพลึง | Wikidata |
| ms | Pokok Bakung | Wikidata |
| ja | ハマオモト | Wikidata |
| vi | Náng | Wikidata |
| te | చెంగల్వ | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the Western Indian Ocean. It can be found growing across the diverse landscapes of the Comoros islands. Additionally, the species is established in the various territories of Mauritius and Réunion. Its presence extends to the remote islands of the Chagos Archipelago as well. Finally, the plant is widely distributed throughout the large landmass of Madagascar.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Chagos Archipelago | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Rodrigues | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the spider lily, possesses a prominent bulb that serves as its primary storage organ. The bulb is composed of fleshy, overlapping leaf bases that store essential nutrients and moisture, allowing the plant to persist through unfavorable environmental conditions. In medicinal applications, the bulb is often the most significant part of the plant, as it contains the concentrated bioactive compounds used in various traditional treatments.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bulb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Crinum asiaticum has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Crinum asiaticum has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, cervical cancer, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Mycobacterium smegmatis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cervical cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |