Eulophia herbacea

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Geodorum bicolor
• Eulophia albiflora
• Limodorum bicolor
• Graphorkis herbacea
• Eulophia vera
• Graphorkis lachnocheila
• Eulophia brachypetala
• Eulophia lachnocheila

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Orchidaceae. Specifically, it is categorized under the genus Eulophia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range spanning across parts of East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. In China, its presence is specifically noted within the South-Central and Southeast regions. Moving into the Indian Subcontinent, the species is widely distributed across India and Nepal. Additionally, it can be found growing in the territory of Bangladesh. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where this medicinal species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Eulophia herbacea is characterized by its specialized survival strategies, primarily functioning as a geophyte and a cryptophyte. As a geophyte, the plant relies on underground storage organs, such as tubers or rhizomes, to persist through unfavorable environmental conditions, allowing it to remain dormant when resources are scarce. This classification as a cryptophyte indicates that its perennating buds are located safely beneath the soil surface, protecting the vital meristematic tissues from desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and herbivory. This evolutionary adaptation ensures a reliable regrowth cycle, enabling the plant to emerge and complete its reproductive stages once favorable seasonal conditions return to its habitat.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Eulophia herbacea is characterized by a compact growth habit, typically reaching an average plant height of 0.3 m. As a self-supporting plant, it does not utilize climbing mechanisms, functioning instead as a non-climber. It is an independent organism that does not exhibit parasitic behavior, maintaining its own nutritional processes without reliance on a host. Furthermore, the plant is strictly terrestrial in its growth habit, lacking any epiphytic characteristics and growing instead within soil substrates.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.3 m

Physiology

The physiology of Eulophia herbacea is characterized by specialized metabolic processes adapted to its life cycle as a terrestrial orchid. Its physiological framework is heavily dependent on its symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, which facilitates the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil through its underground tubers. The plant utilizes a specialized photosynthetic pathway to convert light energy into chemical energy, supporting its growth from a dormant tuberous state to a leafy vegetative stage. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, Eulophia herbacea does not exhibit the physiological capacity for biological nitrogen fixation; therefore, it is classified as a non-nitrogen fixer (trait_1: nitrogen fixer, trait_value: no). Instead, it relies on the decomposition of organic matter in its habitat and the assistance of fungal networks to acquire essential nitrogenous compounds required for protein synthesis and cellular function.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Eulophia herbacea has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gallic acid, Lupeol, quercetin.

Gallic acid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Lupeol

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

quercetin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Eulophia herbacea has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation.

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology