tartari buckwheat

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• India-wheat
• Japanese buckwheat
• Tartarian buckwheat
• Tartary buckwheat
• green buckwheat
• India buckwheat
• duckwheat

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Phegopyrum tataricum
• Fagopyrum tataricum var. rotundatum
• Fagopyrum tataricum var. vulgare
• Helxine tartarica
• Fagopyrum dentatum
• Polygonum tataricum
• Fagopyrum tataricum var. potaninii
• Fagopyrum tataricum subsp. potaninii
• Fagopyrum suffruticosum
• Fagopyrum rotundatum

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 Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Polygonaceae and the genus Fagopyrum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Fagopyrum tataricum, exhibits a specific distribution across several northern European territories. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark. Additionally, its presence is noted in the country of Finland. The species is also distributed throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends to Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Fagopyrum tataricum is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, spanning from low-lying areas to high-altitude environments. It is typically found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 500 m AMSL to a maximum of 3900 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 2200 m AMSL. Regarding its preferred habitats, the species frequently colonizes disturbed or managed landscapes, commonly occurring in crop fields and along roadsides.

Elevational range max:

3900 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, roadsides

Life history

The life history of Fagopyrum tataricum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental sequence from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives the unfavorable seasons primarily in the form of seeds, which remain dormant until environmental conditions become suitable for the next generation. This life form strategy allows the species to rapidly colonize available habitats, utilizing its brief period of vegetative growth to establish a robust structure before transitioning quickly to the reproductive phase to ensure the dispersal of progeny.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Fagopyrum tataricum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a climber or a liana, and it grows as an independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte. The species is terrestrial in its habitat and lacks woody tissue. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of 0.465 m, though its physical dimensions can vary from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 0.8 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.465 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Fagopyrum tataricum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. As a non-carnivorous species, the plant relies entirely on its root system and soil nutrients for mineral uptake rather than through specialized trapping mechanisms. The morphology of its foliage reflects significant variability in leaf dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 7 cm, maintaining an average leaf length of approximately 4.5 cm.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

7 cm

Leaf length mean:

4.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Fagopyrum tataricum is characterized by a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent. The flowering period typically begins in July and continues through September. During this stage, the plant relies on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome to facilitate fertilization; notably, self-fertilization is absent, highlighting the importance of these insect vectors. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are indehiscent and vary in size, with a mean length of 0.55 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 0.6 cm. The resulting seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.020186 g, with individual seed weights fluctuating between a minimum of 0.0183 g and a maximum of 0.0204 g. Dispersal of the seeds is categorized as unspecialized, though it also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies, meaning dispersal is frequently aided by human activity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.0204 g

Seed mass mean:

0.020186 g

Seed mass min:

0.0183 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Fagopyrum tataricum has 2 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 root, seed.

Root

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Seed

1. Journal of plant physiology

Chemicals

Fagopyrum tataricum has 48 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include RUTIN, Flavonoids, quercetin, Flavonoid, D-chiro-Inositol.

RUTIN

1. Journal of plant physiology
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Food & function
4. Metabolites
5. Frontiers in microbiology

Flavonoids

1. Metabolites
2. Frontiers in microbiology
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

quercetin

1. Plant, cell & environment
2. Food & function
3. PloS one
4. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica
5. Pharmacognosy magazine

Flavonoid

1. Cell reports
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. BMC plant biology
5. Botanical studies

D-chiro-Inositol

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

LIGNIN

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. BMC plant biology

Proanthocyanidin

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

(+)-catechin

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

(-)-Epicatechin

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

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

1. PloS one

Activities

Fagopyrum tataricum has 13 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antitumor.

Antioxidant

1. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
2. International journal of biological macromolecules
3. Plant, cell & environment
4. Pharmacognosy magazine
5. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Hepatoprotective

1. Food & function
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Anticancer

1. Plant, cell & environment
2. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Antidiabetic

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Antitumor

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Pharmacognosy magazine

Antiglycation

1. Ultrasonics sonochemistry

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Antihypertensive

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Antiobesity

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Hypocholesterolemic

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Medicinal Uses

Fagopyrum tataricum has 30 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, inflammation, antidiabetic, drought tolerance, Lipid Metabolism Disorders.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations