Crotalaria
Crotalaria, commonly known as rattlepods, belongs to the Fabaceae family. These versatile plants are widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. Renowned for their medicinal properties, various species are utilized in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, skin ailments, and respiratory issues, offering significant pharmacological potential for modern therapeutic research.
- Scientific name: Crotalaria
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Europe
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 specifically 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, belonging to the genus Crotalaria, is known by a variety of names depending on the region and local language. In English, it is frequently referred to as rattlepod due to the sound the seeds make within the pods. In Spanish, it is commonly called rabo de gato, and in Portuguese, it is known as rabo de gato. In French, it is referred to as crotalaire, while in German, it is called krokatalie.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Eastern Europe, its presence can be documented within the territory of Ukraine. Moving toward Northern Africa, it is found throughout the landscapes of Algeria and Egypt. The species also extends across the North African continent to include Libya. Finally, its range reaches further west to encompass the country of Morocco.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Morocco | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Western Sahara | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
Chemicals
Crotalaria has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Monocrotaline, dehydro-monocrotaline.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Monocrotaline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dehydro-monocrotaline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |