Elsholtzia splendens, Nakai ex F. Maekawa

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Haizhou elsholtzia
• Haichow Elsholtzia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Elsholtzia pseudocristata var. splendens

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered under Lamiales and placed in the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Elsholtzia, specifically identified as the species Elsholtzia splendens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions of East Asia. Within China, it can be found spanning from the northern reaches of Inner Mongolia to the expansive territories of Manchuria. Its presence also extends into the China North-Central and China Southeast regions, demonstrating significant environmental adaptability. Furthermore, the species is naturally distributed throughout the Korean Peninsula in Eastern Asia. Collectively, these areas define the primary habitat where this medicinal species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Elsholtzia splendens is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, reflecting its status as a woody perennial that maintains its buds at a significant height above the ground level. Within the broader spectrum of plant life forms, it occupies a distinct ecological niche that differentiates it from shorter-lived or ground-level survival strategies such as hemicryptophytes, chamaephytes, or therophytes. Unlike hemicryptophytes, which protect their perennating buds at the soil surface, or crypto- and geophytes that rely on underground structures, Elsholtzia splendens invests in robust, perennial woody structures that allow it to dominate the forest canopy. Its development cycle involves long-term structural growth and seasonal foliage changes, distinguishing its life cycle from the rapid, ephemeral patterns of therophytes or the low-growing habits of lithophytes and hydrophytes.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Elsholtzia splendens is characterized by a growth form classified as a tree, distinguishing it from herbaceous or graminoid life forms. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite, maintaining its own nutritional processes without reliance on a host. It is a terrestrial plant, growing directly in soil rather than acting as an epiphyte. Furthermore, the structural composition of the plant is defined by its woodiness, as it develops a sturdy, woody framework typical of arborescent species, rather than being non-woody. Despite the classification of some climbing species, this plant is not a climber and does not exhibit self-supporting climbing habits.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Elsholtzia splendens is characterized by the production of specialized seeds that exhibit high uniformity in their physical properties. The reproductive cycle culminates in the dispersal of seeds that possess a highly consistent mass, with a mean seed mass of 3e-04 g. This consistency is reflected in the recorded range of the seed weight, where both the maximum and minimum seed mass values are measured at exactly 3e-04 g. Such precision in seed mass indicates a standardized energy investment per offspring during the maturation process, ensuring that each unit of dispersal carries an identical nutritional and structural load.

Seed mass mean:

3e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Elsholtzia splendens has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Copper (Cu), Flavonoids, Zinc (Zn).

Copper (Cu)

1. Scientific data

Flavonoids

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology

Zinc (Zn)

1. Scientific data

Activities

Elsholtzia splendens has 4 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidepressant, Antithrombotic.

Analgesic

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Antibacterial

1. Scientific data

Antidepressant

1. Scientific data

Antithrombotic

1. Scientific data

Conditions

Elsholtzia splendens has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cardiovascular systems, cough, headache, inflammation.

Cardiovascular systems

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology

Cough

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Headache

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Inflammation

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Preparations

Elsholtzia splendens has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include TFES, total flavonoids of ES.

Tfes

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology

Total flavonoids of es

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology