Foxglove

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• purple foxglove
• Foxglove
• digitalis
• Common Foxglove

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Digitalis purpurea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Plantaginae within the genus Digitalis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide presence across several key regions in Northern Europe. Its range specifically includes the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Furthermore, it is commonly found throughout the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. In the northernmost stretches, the species is also well-established within Sweden. Finally, its distribution extends into Middle Europe, where it can be located in Austria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Digitalis purpurea is characterized by a broad adaptability to varying topographical settings, spanning an elevational range from 0 m AMSL to a maximum of 3600 m AMSL. This wide vertical distribution allows the species to colonize diverse altitudinal gradients, from lowland coastal regions to high-altitude montane environments. Regarding its preferred living conditions, the species frequently occupies "Área Antrópica" (anthropic areas), indicating a notable capacity to thrive in habitats modified or created by human activity, such as disturbed soils, forest clearings, roadsides, and garden environments.

Elevational range max:

3600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Digitalis purpurea is characterized by a flexible and complex developmental strategy, primarily functioning as a perennial species that can exhibit variable growth patterns, often acting as a biennial or even an annual depending on environmental conditions. Its structural life form is classified as a hemicryptophyte, meaning its perennuating buds are located at the soil surface, though it also displays characteristics of a therophyte in certain life stages. Furthermore, the plant exhibits deciduousness, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Digitalis purpurea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. As a self-supporting species, it does not exhibit climbing behavior such as a vine or liana. The plant's stature varies significantly depending on environmental conditions, with a minimum height of 0.3 m, a mean height of approximately 1.096 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 2.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.5 m

Plant height mean:

1.096 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Digitalis purpurea is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, typical of many temperate herbaceous plants, and it functions as a non-carnivorous species. Its vegetative architecture is defined by elliptic-shaped leaves that exhibit significant morphological variation. On average, the leaves possess a length of 10 cm (ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 20 cm) and a width that averages 7.8 cm, with widths fluctuating between 3 cm and 10 cm. This leaf morphology results in a mean leaf size of 322.04 cm². Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 167.33 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its underlying strategy for resource acquisition and light interception.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length mean:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf size mean:

322.04 cm²

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width mean:

7.8 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

167.33 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Digitalis purpurea is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate genetic diversity. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in July, featuring prominent flowers that range in length from 4 cm to 5 cm and display a red coloration. These flowers rely on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect-based syndrome where bees serve as key pollinators. While the plant is capable of sexual reproduction, self-fertilization is noted to be absent, and asexual reproduction is also absent, with the plant functioning as a monocarp. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, dehiscence-type capsules as its fruit type. These capsules vary in size, with a mean length of 1.35 cm (ranging from 0.9 cm to 1.5 cm) and a width between 0.6 cm and 1 cm. Each fruit is highly prolific, containing more than 1,000 seeds. The individual seeds are minute, possessing a mean mass of approximately 8.78e-05 g (ranging from 7e-05 g to 1e-04 g) and a consistent volume of 0.073 mm³. Dispersal of these seeds is achieved through both anemochorous (wind) and anthropochorous (human-mediated) syndromes.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

red

Flower length max:

5 cm

Flower length min:

4 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

1.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.35 cm

Fruit length min:

0.9 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Fruit width min:

0.6 cm

Monocarpy :

monocarp

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

1e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

8.78333333333333e-05 g

Seed mass min:

7e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.073 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Digitalis purpurea has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed.

Leaf

1. Journal of chromatography
2. Journal of natural products

Seed

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Chemicals

Digitalis purpurea has 99 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include digitoxin, digoxin, Cardiac Glycosides, Cardiac glycoside, Gitaloxin.

digitoxin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of forensic sciences
3. Journal of natural products
4. Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
5. Journal of chromatography

digoxin

1. Annals of internal medicine
2. Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
4. Therapeutic drug monitoring
5. BMJ case reports

Cardiac Glycosides

1. PloS one
2. Journal of natural products
3. BMJ case reports

Cardiac glycoside

1. The American journal of medicine
2. Annals of emergency medicine
3. BMC genomics

Gitaloxin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of forensic sciences
3. Journal of chromatography

Gitoxin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of forensic sciences
3. Journal of chromatography

Digitalis

1. Advances in biochemical engineering/biotechnology
2. International dental journal

Digitoxigenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Strospeside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography

1-Methoxy-2-methyl-anthraquinone

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Digitalis purpurea has 323 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cardiotonic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, Acaricide, Acidulant.

Cardiotonic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of forensic sciences

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Digitalis purpurea has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include congestive heart failure, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, dropsy, tumor.

Congestive heart failure

1. The Journal of emergency medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Giornale italiano di cardiologia
4. Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine
5. Cardiovascular drugs and therapy

Heart failure

1. Annali italiani di medicina interna : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di medicina interna
2. The Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society : official organ of the Louisiana State Medical Society
3. PloS one
4. Cardiovascular drugs and therapy

Atrial fibrillation

1. Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
2. Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine

Dropsy

1. The Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society : official organ of the Louisiana State Medical Society
2. American journal of nephrology

Tumor

1. Journal of biomolecular screening
2. Journal of natural products

Dropsy

1. Journal of clinical and hospital pharmacy

Atrial flutter

1. Comprehensive therapy

Bradyarrhythmia

1. Annals of emergency medicine

Cancer

1. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Cardiac arrhythmias

1. The Veterinary record

Preparations

Digitalis purpurea has 5 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include CH2Cl2-MeOH (1:1) extracts, extract, infusion of digitalis, seeds, shoot cultures.

Ch2cl2-meoh (1:1) extracts

1. Journal of natural products

Extract

1. Journal of natural products

Infusion of digitalis

1. Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Seeds

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Shoot cultures

1. European journal of biochemistry