Gloriosa
Gloriosa, commonly known as the Flame Lily, is a stunning climbing plant celebrated for its vibrant, fiery petals. While its striking appearance adds elegance to tropical gardens, it is also a potent medicinal herb. Used carefully in traditional practices, its alkaloids offer significant therapeutic potential despite its high toxicity.
- Scientific name: Gloriosa
- Family: Colchicaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Liliales, it is specifically situated in the family Colchicaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Gloriosa.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Liliales | WCVP |
| Family | Colchicaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Gloriosa | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by several different names depending on the region and language, is a significant medicinal species. In Hindi, it is referred to as करी हरी (hi), while in Chinese, it is identified as 嘉兰属 (zh-hans), 嘉蘭屬 (zh-hant), or 嘉蘭屬 (zh-hk). Additionally, in Poland, it is commonly called Glorioza (pl).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hi | करी हरी | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 嘉兰属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 嘉蘭屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 嘉蘭屬 | Wikidata |
| pl | Glorioza | Wikidata |
| ru | Глориоза | Wikidata |
| ta | காந்தள் | Wikidata |
| or | ଲହଲାଙ୍ଗଳୀ | Wikidata |
| bn | উলটচণ্ডাল | Wikidata |
| ja | グロリオサ | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several nations in West Tropical Africa. Within this region, its presence is documented in the country of Benin. It can also be found growing in Burkina and Gambia. Furthermore, the plant extends its range into Ghana. Finally, its geographical reach includes Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Glory Lily, is highly valued in traditional medicine, though it must be handled with extreme caution due to its toxicity. While various components of the plant contain bioactive alkaloids, the seed extracts are particularly significant for their potent pharmacological properties. These extracts are often studied for their potential medicinal applications, yet they must be used with precision because the concentration of active compounds can be hazardous if not properly controlled.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seed extracts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Gloriosa has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include colchicine, Colchicine.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| colchicine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Colchicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Gloriosa has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include familial Mediterranean fever, gouty arthritis.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| familial Mediterranean fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gouty arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |