Flixweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Flixweed
• herb-Sophia
• tansy mustard

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Phryne sophia
• Arabis sophia
• Crucifera sophia
• Discurea sophia
• Sisymbrium sophia
• Sophia vulgaris

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Brassicales and family Brassicaceae, it is classified under the genus Descurainia. Specifically, this medicinal species is identified as Descurainia sophia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Its presence also extends to the northern landscapes of Finland. Additionally, the species is documented within the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical range includes the unique environment of Iceland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Descuraiuria sophia is characterized by a broad and adaptable distribution across a diverse range of environmental settings and altitudinal gradients. This species exhibits significant ecological plasticity, occupying habitats that vary from anthropogenic landscapes such as crop fields, inhabited places, old fields, and roadsides to more natural environments including meadows, mountains, and even saline places. Its vertical distribution is extensive, spanning an elevational range from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2900 m AMSL, allowing it to persist in both lowland plains and high-altitude montane ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

2900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, inhabited places, meadows, mountains, old fields, roadsides, saline places

Genetics

The genetics of Descuraiuria sophia are characterized by significant karyotypic variation, which is reflected in its varying chromosome numbers. Cytogenetic analyses of the species have identified multiple ploidy levels, specifically recording chromosome numbers of 14, 20, and 28. This diversity in chromosome counts suggests a complex evolutionary history potentially involving polyploidy or chromosomal rearrangements within different populations. These varying genomic configurations, ranging from the base number of 14 to the doubled or modified counts of 20 and 28, play a crucial role in the plant's genetic structure and its ability to adapt to diverse environmental niches.

Chromosome number :

14, 20, 28

Life history

The life history of Descurainia sophia is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, completing its entire developmental cycle within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it maintains its life form by surviving unfavorable periods in the form of seeds, which emerge to rapidly complete their lifecycle when environmental conditions become favorable. Throughout its active growth phase, the plant exhibits an evergreen habit, maintaining its foliage without shedding leaves seasonally. This combination of a short-lived annual lifecycle and a therophytic strategy allows it to efficiently exploit specific ecological niches within its habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Descurainia sophia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This terrestrial plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is classified as a self-supporting organism rather than a climber, liana, or vine. It functions as an independent species, lacking parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant displays a variable height, with a minimum height of 0.1 m, a maximum height of 1 m, and a mean plant height of approximately 0.475 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.475 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Descurainia sophia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy. Its foliar morphology exhibits significant variation, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 12 cm, and a mean leaf length of 7 cm. The leaves are relatively narrow, maintaining a consistent width with a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 2 cm, resulting in a mean leaf size of 7.6575 cm². Furthermore, the plant displays a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 266.85 cm²/g, reflecting its structural investment in leaf tissue relative to its dry mass.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

7 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf size mean:

7.6575 cm²

Leaf width mean:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

266.85 cm²/g

Reproduction

Reproduction in Descurainia sophia is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period typically commences in May and extends through August. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate fertilization, though self-fertilization is also present. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, dehiscence-type fruit classified as a capsule. These capsules vary in size, with a mean length of 2.75 cm (ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 3 cm) and a consistent width of approximately 0.1 cm. Once the fruit matures and dehiscence occurs, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are spread by the wind. The seeds themselves are quite small, featuring a mean length of 1 mm (ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 mm) and a mean volume of 0.082 mm³. In terms of mass, the seeds are extremely lightweight, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0037867734 g, though specific recorded measurements show a range spanning from 0 g to a maximum of 0.00021 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.75 cm

Fruit length min:

1 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

1.5 mm

Seed length mean:

1 mm

Seed length min:

0.8 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00021 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0037867734 g

Seed mass min:

0 g

Seed volume max:

0.082 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Descurainia sophia has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, leaf.

Seed

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Research in pharmaceutical sciences
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Molecular and cellular probes

Chemicals

Descurainia sophia has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Glucosinolates, Volatile oil, kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-[(2-O-trans-sinnapoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-beta-gentiobioside, kaempferol-7-O-beta-gentiobioside.

Glucosinolates

1. PloS one

Volatile oil

1. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-[(2-O-trans-sinnapoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-beta-gentiobioside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

kaempferol-7-O-beta-gentiobioside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

quercetin 3,7-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-beta-gentiobioside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

quercetin-7-O-beta-gentiobioside

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

sinapic acid ethyl ester

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Activities

Descurainia sophia has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antipyretic, Expectorant, Free-Radical Scavenging.

Antioxidant

1. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
2. Open life sciences
3. Molecular and cellular probes

Analgesic

1. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Antipyretic

1. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Expectorant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Free-Radical Scavenging

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Conditions

Descurainia sophia has 21 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, constipation, lung cancer, anti-asthmatic, colon cancer.

Cancer

1. Open life sciences
2. Molecular and cellular probes

Constipation

1. Iranian journal of pediatrics
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Lung cancer

1. Open life sciences
2. Molecular and cellular probes

Anti-asthmatic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Colon cancer

1. Molecular and cellular probes

Dyspnea

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Edema

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Expectorant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flatulence

1. Iranian journal of pediatrics

Genital systems

1. Iranian journal of medical sciences

Preparations

Descurainia sophia has 8 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include "Nantinglizi" (Descurainiae Semen), DS powder-mixed syrup, Descurainia sophia extract, Descurainia sophia leaf extract, Descurainia sophia leaves extract.

"nantinglizi" (descurainiae semen)

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Ds powder-mixed syrup

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Descurainia sophia extract

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Descurainia sophia leaf extract

1. Molecular and cellular probes

Descurainia sophia leaves extract

1. Molecular and cellular probes

Southern tinglizi(descurainiae semen)

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Oral herbs

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Seed extract

1. Food science & nutrition