pale coneflower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• pale coneflower
• pale echinacea
• pale purple-coneflower
• pale-flower echinacea
• drooping coneflower

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Brauneria pallida
• Rudbeckia pallida
• Echinacea pallida f. albida

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae and order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Echinacea as the species Echinacea pallida.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range across parts of North America. In Eastern Canada, its presence is specifically noted in the province of Ontario. Moving into the North-Central United States, it can be found growing in Illinois and Iowa. The distribution continues southward through the states of Kansas and Missouri. Collectively, these locations define the primary natural habitat for Echinacea pallida.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Echinacea pallida is characterized by its status as a perennial, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its life cycle in a single year. As a long-lived herbaceous species, it establishes a robust root system that allows it to endure seasonal changes and regrow from its crown each spring. Its developmental cycle typically involves a period of vegetative growth during the warmer months, followed by the production of flowering heads that facilitate sexual reproduction through seed dispersal. Depending on environmental conditions and resource availability, the plant's longevity can be quite significant, contributing to its stability within its native prairie habitats.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Echinacea pallida is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This terrestrial species is an independent organism, meaning it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, and it is entirely self-supporting rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. On average, the plant reaches a height of approximately 0.37 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.37 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Echinacea pallida is characterized by its metabolic efficiency and specialized adaptations to its native prairie environments. As a member of the Asteraceae family, it utilizes the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a process where carbon dioxide is fixed directly into a three-carbon compound during the initial stages of the Calvin cycle. This pathway is highly efficient under the temperate conditions in which the species typically thrives, allowing for optimal gas exchange and energy production through the utilization of sunlight and moisture. The plant's physiological vigor is further supported by a robust root system that facilitates the uptake of essential minerals and water, driving the synthesis of complex secondary metabolites such as alkylamides and polysaccharides. These metabolic processes are closely regulated by environmental stimuli, influencing the plant's growth cycles, transpiration rates, and the concentration of bioactive compounds within its tissues.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Echinacea pallida is characterized by a specific flowering phenology and distinct seed morphology. The plant enters its flowering phase in June, with the blooming period extending through July. During this reproductive cycle, the production of seeds follows measurable physical parameters, featuring a mean seed mass of approximately 0.0049695 g. The seed size distribution is highly specific, with both the maximum and minimum recorded seed mass values reaching 0.00566 g, indicating a very narrow range of mass among the produced seeds.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Seed mass max:

0.00566 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0049695 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Echinacea pallida has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, seed.

Root

1. Phytochemistry
2. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Seed

1. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Echinacea pallida has 33 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Echinacoside, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Cichoric Acid, caftaric acid, Chicoric acid.

Echinacoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
3. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Cichoric Acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

caftaric acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Chicoric acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Glycoproteins

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Zeitschrift fur arztliche Fortbildung

3,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-PINENE

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

BORNYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Echinacea pallida has 169 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antiinflammatory, Antiviral, Immunostimulant, (-)-Chronotropic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of clinical nutrition

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Immunostimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Echinacea pallida has 20 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include burns, cancer, common cold, coughs, herpes simplex.

Burns

1. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine

Cancer

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Common cold

1. Phytochemistry

Coughs

1. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine

Herpes simplex

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Infections

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Influenza

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Insect bites

1. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine

Nervous system

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Neuralgia

1. Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine

Preparations

Echinacea pallida has 4 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Echinacea pallida ethanol extracts, alcohol extracts, aqueous ethanolic (70%) extracts, extracts.

Echinacea pallida ethanol extracts

1. Planta medica

Alcohol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous ethanolic (70%) extracts

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Extracts

1. Zeitschrift fur arztliche Fortbildung