purple coneflower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• broad-leaved purple coneflower
• eastern purple coneflower
• Purple Coneflower
• eastern purple-coneflower
• purple-coneflower

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rudbeckia purpurea
• Brauneria purpurea
• Echinacea purpurea var. serotina
• Rudbeckia serotina
• Echinacea purpurea f. ligettii
• Rudbeckia aspera
• Rudbeckia hispida
• Echinacea serotina
• Echinacea intermedia
• Echinacea purpurea var. arkansana
• Rudbeckia purpurea var. serotina
• Helichroa fusca
• Helichroa fuscata
• Helichroa linnaeana
• Helichroa purpurea
• Helichroa uniflora
• Helichroa elatior
• Helichroa alba
• Helichroa amoena
• Helichroa crocea

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 Asterales, it is classified in the family Asteraceae. Finally, its specific biological identity is defined by the genus Echinacea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Echinacea purpurea, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several European regions. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing in countries such as Austria, Germany, and Poland. Its presence extends into Southwestern Europe, where it is documented in France. Additionally, the species reaches into Eastern Europe, specifically within the Baltic States. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to inhabit various European landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Echinacea purpurea is characterized by its adaptability to diverse landscapes, although it is most frequently encountered in anthropogenic settings where it is cultivated as an ornamental plant. Native to the expansive prairies and open woodlands of North America, the species has evolved to thrive in sun-drenched environments with well-drained soils. In its natural state, it often occupies disturbed sites and meadows, playing a vital role in its ecosystem by providing nectar and pollen for a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Because of its robust root system and ability to withstand varying moisture levels once established, it integrates effectively into both managed garden ecosystems and native grassland habitats.

Habitat :

cultivated as an ornamental plant, originating from North America

Life history

The life history of Echinacea purpurea is characterized by its classification as a perennial, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons through its robust root system. As a hemicryptophyte, its perenn Perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by the leaf litter or the upper layer of the earth during unfavorable conditions. This life form, functioning as a hemicryptophyte, ensures that the plant can effectively transition between seasonal cycles, regenerating its aerial parts from these surface-level buds each year.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Echinacea purpurea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing or parasitic tendencies, functioning as an independent organism. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte. The plant's stature varies in height, with a minimum recorded height of 0.4 m, a mean height of 0.37 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.37 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Echinacea purpurea is characterized by a robust metabolic framework optimized for temperate environments, primarily utilizing a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation. Through this C3 mechanism, the plant utilizes the enzyme RuBisCO to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide during the Calvin cycle, a process that is highly efficient under the moderate temperatures and consistent moisture levels typical of its natural habitats. This carbon assimilation supports the complex biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, most notably alkylamides, caffeic acid derivatives such as echinacoside, and various polysaccharides, which are distributed throughout its aerial tissues and root systems. The plant's physiological vigor is further supported by an extensive fibrous root system that facilitates efficient nutrient uptake and water regulation, ensuring the metabolic continuity required for the synthesis of its bioactive compounds.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Echinacea purpurea is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle and the production of minute seeds. The flowering period typically commences in June and continues through until August, though the timing can be variable depending on environmental conditions. Following pollination, the plant produces seeds that exhibit significant variability in size; the average seed mass is approximately 0.002164 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.00015 g to a maximum of 0.00242 g.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Seed mass max:

0.00242 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002164 g

Seed mass min:

0.00015 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Echinacea purpurea has 7 reported plant parts identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, flower, leaf, stem, seed.

Root

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Planta medica
3. Microbiological research
4. International journal of STD & AIDS
5. Biotechnology advances

Flower

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Planta medica
3. Journal of natural products
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pharmaceutical biology

Leaf

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. BMC genomics
3. Planta medica
4. Nihon Rinsho Men'eki Gakkai kaishi = Japanese journal of clinical immunology
5. Pharmaceutical biology

Stem

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. BMC genomics
3. Microbiological research
4. Genome announcements
5. Planta medica

Seed

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Fruit

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Rhizome

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Echinacea purpurea has 135 reported phytochemicals identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cichoric Acid, Chicoric acid, CHLOROGENIC ACID, caftaric acid, Echinacoside.

Cichoric Acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry
5. BMC genomics

Chicoric acid

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Scientific reports
3. Frontiers in chemistry
4. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Journal of chromatography. A
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports
4. Veterinary medicine and science
5. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

caftaric acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Scientific reports
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
5. Journal of chromatography. A

Echinacoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of AOAC International

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Cynarin

1. Scientific reports
2. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
3. Planta medica
4. Saudi journal of biological sciences
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

caffeic acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of chromatography. A
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
5. ACS omega

Germacrene D

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports
4. Natural product research

Glycoproteins

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmacognosy reviews
4. Zeitschrift fur arztliche Fortbildung

Activities

Echinacea purpurea has 523 reported activities identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Immunostimulant, Antiviral, Antianxiety.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. BMC genomics
4. Carbohydrate research
5. International journal of food science

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Carbohydrate research
3. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
4. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pharmacognosy reviews

Immunostimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant disease
3. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
4. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antianxiety

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy reviews

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antiinflammatory

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

Antimicrobial

1. International journal of food science
2. ACS chemical biology

Anxiolytic

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

Hepatotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics

Conditions

Echinacea purpurea has 91 reported investigations on conditions identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include common cold, upper respiratory tract infections, inflammation, infections, respiratory infections.

Common cold

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
3. Holistic nursing practice
4. Current medical research and opinion
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Upper respiratory tract infections

1. Annals of internal medicine
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Archives of family medicine
5. Cellular immunology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
5. ACS omega

Infections

1. Experimental gerontology
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
3. Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
4. Life sciences

Respiratory infections

1. The American journal of medicine
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. International journal of immunopharmacology
4. Journal of chromatographic science

Upper respiratory infections

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. The American journal of clinical nutrition
3. Planta medica
4. Biologia

Antioxidant

1. International journal of food science
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Planta

Cough

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Recent patents on biotechnology

Insulin resistance

1. BioMed research international
2. Journal of natural products
3. Planta medica

Oxidative stress

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Journal of psychiatric research
3. Environmental toxicology

Preparations

Echinacea purpurea has 68 reported preparations identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, extract, Echinacea purpurea extract, Ethanolic extracts, root extracts.

Extracts

1. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)
2. Experimental gerontology
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
5. Scientific reports

Extract

1. International journal of STD & AIDS
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Polish journal of veterinary sciences

Echinacea purpurea extract

1. Arzneimittel-Forschung
2. Carbohydrate research

Ethanolic extracts

1. Arzneimittel-Forschung
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Root extracts

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of leukocyte biology

Dried extracts

1. Journal of chromatographic science

E. purpurea extract

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

E. purpurea extracts

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Ee

1. Scientific reports

Ep extract

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies