Cynara cornigera
Cynara cornigera, commonly known as the artichoke thistle, is a striking perennial plant native to South America. Renowned for its dramatic, silvery-green foliage and large, purple flower heads, it serves both ornamental and medicinal purposes. Historically, its unique botanical properties have been explored for various traditional healing applications.
- Scientific name: Cynara cornigera
- Family: Asteraceae
- 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 Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae and is specifically identified by the genus Cynara.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cynara | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning across several distinct regions. Within Southeastern Europe, it can be found growing in Greece and on the island of Kriti. Its distribution extends into Northern Africa, where it inhabits the territories of Egypt and Libya. Furthermore, the species is present in Western Asia, specifically located on the island of Cyprus. Collectively, these locations highlight the Mediterranean footprint of this medicinal species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Kriti | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Cyprus | WCVP |
| Western Asia | East Aegean Is. | WCVP |
Chemicals
Cynara cornigera has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cynarin, cynaropicrin.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cynarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cynaropicrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cynara cornigera has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |