Orchid(orchidaceae)

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Tall Gastrodia
• Tianma

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Gastrodia elata f. viridis
• Gastrodia elata var. viridis
• Gastrodia elata var. pallens
• Gastrodia mairei
• Gastrodia viridis
• Gastrodia elata f. flavida
• Gastrodia elata var. obovata
• Gastrodia elata f. pallens
• Gastrodia elata f. alba
• Gastrodia elata f. glauca
• Gastrodia elata var. gracilis
• Gastrodia elata f. pilifera

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae and order Asparagales, it is further categorized into the family Orchidaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Gastrodia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range that spans across parts of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, it can be found in the Khabarovsk region and throughout the Kuril Islands. Its distribution continues through the Primorye territory and the island of Sakhalin. Beyond Russia, the species is also located within the South-Central regions of China. Collectively, these areas define the primary natural habitats for this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Gastrodia elata is characterized by its preference for specific high-altitude environments, typically found within forest ecosystems and in close proximity to rivers. This species thrives within a distinct elevational range, occupying montane habitats starting from a minimum of 2000 m AMSL and extending up to a maximum of 4000 m AMSL. The presence of rivers and forested terrain suggests a reliance on moist, shaded, and stable microclimates that support its specialized growth requirements.

Elevational range max:

4000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2000 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, rivers

Life history

The life history of Gastrodia elata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its habitat. As a specialized orchid, it adopts a geophyte life form, storing its essential nutrients and energy within underground structures that protect it during dormant periods. Furthermore, its biological classification includes being a cryptophyte, meaning its vital regenerative organs are situated safely below the soil surface, shielding the plant from environmental fluctuations and ensuring its survival and continued development over time.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gastrodia elata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. This plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 1 m. In terms of its structural habit, it is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber. While it is an independent organism rather than a parasite, it maintains a terrestrial lifestyle rather than being an epiphyte.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gastrodia elata is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle that is tightly linked to its environmental conditions. The flowering period for this species is concentrated primarily in the month of July, which serves as both the flowering start and the flowering end, though the timing can remain variable depending on local climatic factors. During this window, the plant produces its reproductive structures to facilitate pollination, marking a critical phase in its life cycle.

Flowering time :

Jul

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gastrodia elata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome, stem.

Rhizome

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Archives of toxicology
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Stem

1. Zhongguo yi xue ke xue yuan xue bao. Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae

Chemicals

Gastrodia elata has 94 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gastrodin, p-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol, PARISHIN E, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, Parishin A.

Gastrodin

1. Archives of pharmacal research
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
3. Journal of chromatography. A
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Environmental microbiome

p-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Chinese herbal medicines
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

PARISHIN E

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Natural product research
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant cell reports
3. Natural product research
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Parishin A

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Plant cell reports
5. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Parishin B

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Natural product research
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Plant cell reports

Parishin C

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Plant cell reports
5. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

4-hydroxybenzaldehyde

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Natural product research
4. Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology

parishin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Talanta
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

4-Hydroxybenzyl methyl ether

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Planta medica

Activities

Gastrodia elata has 181 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, Anticonvulsant, Analgesic, Antidepressant.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Neuroprotective

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. BioFactors (Oxford, England)
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticonvulsant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives of pharmacal research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antiepileptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antifibrotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese medicine

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Gastrodia elata has 88 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, convulsions, headache, inflammation.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations