Crotalaria spectabilis
Crotalaria spectabilis, commonly known as rattlebox, is a distinctive herbaceous plant featured by its bright yellow flowers and distinctive seed pods. While valued in traditional medicine for its bioactive properties, it requires careful handling due to its potential toxicity, making it a subject of significant pharmacological and botanical interest.
- Scientific name: Crotalaria spectabilis
- Family: Fabaceae
- 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 Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and is identified by the genus Crotalaria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Crotalaria | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Crotalaria spectabilis, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is known as 大托叶猪屎豆 (zh), 大托叶猪屎豆 (zh-cn), and 大托叶猪屎豆 (zh-hans), while in Taiwan, it is specifically called 紫花野百合 (zh-tw). Additionally, in Thailand, the plant is known by the name มะหิ่งเม่น (th).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 大托叶猪屎豆 | Wikidata |
| th | มะหิ่งเม่น | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 紫花野百合 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 大托叶猪屎豆 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 大托叶猪屎豆 | Wikidata |
| bn | ঝুমঝুমো | Wikidata |
| bn | পিপুলি ঝুনঝুন | Wikidata |
| zh | 紫花野百合 | Wikidata |
| zh | 紫花野百全 | Wikidata |
| zh | 美丽猪屎豆 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted within the borders of Mali. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found in both the Central African Republic and the DR Congo. The species also extends into Northeast Tropical Africa, spanning across Sudan and South Sudan. Finally, its geographical range reaches into East Tropical Africa, specifically within Kenya.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | 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 |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
Chemicals
Crotalaria spectabilis has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include GA3, PEG.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| GA3 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| PEG | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Crotalaria spectabilis has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include pulmonary hypertension.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pulmonary hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |