Erigeron breviscapus

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Aster breviscapus
• Erigeron breviscapus var. alboradiatus
• Erigeron breviscapus var. tibeticus
• Erigeron breviscapus var. leucanthus
• Erigeron dielsii
• Erigeron praecox

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically classified within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Following the order Asterales, it is a member of the Asteraceae family. Finally, it is identified under the genus Erigeron as the species Erigeron breviscapus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across various regions of China. It is notably found throughout the South-Central part of the country. Additionally, its presence extends into the Southeast regions of China. The species also inhabits the high-altitude areas of Tibet. Together, these locations define the primary geographical range of Erigeron breviscapus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Erigeron brevicapus is characterized by its adaptation to high-altitude environments, where it thrives across a significant vertical gradient. This species is found within a broad elevational range that begins at a minimum of 1200 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 3500 m AMSL. Throughout its natural habitat, the plant maintains an average elevation of approximately 2350 m AMSL, indicating a preference for montane or subalpine zones. This wide altitudinal distribution suggests a robust ability to withstand varying climatic conditions and ecological pressures associated with different mountain life zones.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2350 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Erigeron brevicapus is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. This long-term survival strategy enables the plant to establish a stable presence within its ecological niche, often relying on a persistent root system to endure environmental fluctuations. As a perennial, it follows a multi-year developmental cycle that facilitates repeated reproductive efforts over time, contrasting with the single-season cycles of annuals or the two-year cycles of biennials. This life cycle supports its ability to colonize and maintain populations within its specific habitat through sustained growth and cyclical flowering periods.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erigeron breviscapus is characterized by its growth form as a herb, specifically functioning as a forb. It exhibits a non-woody structure, lacking significant lignification in its stems. In terms of its habit, the plant is categorized as a self-supporting species, meaning it does not rely on other structures for climbing or vertical support, maintaining its posture through its own herbaceous tissue.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erigeron brevicapus is characterized by significant morphological variability in its foliar structures, which play a critical role in its metabolic processes and resource acquisition. The leaf dimensions exhibit a broad spectrum of development, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 11 cm, maintaining a mean length of approximately 3.75 cm. Complementing this longitudinal variation, the leaf width demonstrates a functional range from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 2.5 cm, resulting in a mean width of 1.5 cm. These fluctuating surface area dimensions suggest a physiological plasticity that allows the plant to optimize light interception and transpiration rates across varying environmental conditions, balancing the expansion of photosynthetic tissue with the structural constraints of its vegetative growth.

Leaf length max:

11 cm

Leaf length mean:

3.75 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Erigeron breviscapus is characterized by the development of specialized fruit structures that facilitate the dispersal of offspring. The resulting fruits exhibit a highly consistent morphological profile, with a recorded fruit length that shows no significant deviation across different specimens. Specifically, the fruit length maintains a uniform measurement with a minimum value of 0.15 cm, a maximum value of 0.15 cm, and a mean value of 0.15 cm. This precise measurement of 0.15 cm underscores a stable reproductive output in terms of fruit size, ensuring a standardized method for seed containment and eventual propagation within its ecological niche.

Fruit length max:

0.15 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Erigeron breviscapus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Planta

Chemicals

Erigeron breviscapus has 28 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Scutellarin, Flavonoids, Breviscapine, 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid, Scutellarein.

Scutellarin

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Nature communications
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
5. PloS one

Flavonoids

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology
3. Frontiers in pharmacology
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. PloS one

Breviscapine

1. Nature communications
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Planta medica
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. PloS one
2. GigaScience

Scutellarein

1. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

1,3-di-O-Caffeoylquinic acid

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

1,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. PloS one

1-NAPHTHALENEACETIC ACID

1. Plant cell reports

3,4-Di-O-Caffeoylquinic acid

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

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. GigaScience

Activities

Erigeron breviscapus has 3 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Hypocholesterolemic.

Antiinflammatory

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Antioxidant

1. Scientific reports

Hypocholesterolemic

1. Planta medica

Conditions

Erigeron breviscapus has 27 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cerebral ischemia, cerebrovascular disease, glaucoma, heart disease, Alzheimer's Disease.

Cerebral ischemia

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

Cerebrovascular disease

1. GigaScience
2. PloS one

Glaucoma

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

Heart disease

1. Plant cell reports
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Alzheimer's disease

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Angina pectoris

1. Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM

Atherosclerosis

1. Planta medica

Blood circulation

1. PloS one

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Planta medica

Cerebral embolism

1. Scientific reports

Preparations

Erigeron breviscapus has 13 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Erigeron breviscapus extract, Decoction Pieces, Dengzhan shengmai (DZSM) formula, Dengzhanxixin (DZXX), EBTF.

Erigeron breviscapus extract

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Decoction pieces

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Dengzhan shengmai (dzsm) formula

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dengzhanxixin (dzxx)

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Ebtf

1. Scientific reports

Erigeron breviscapus preparation

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

Scutellarin (scu)

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Breviscapine

1. Planta medica

Crude extract

1. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology

Dietary supplement

1. Life sciences