Gundelia
Gundelia, commonly known as thistle or wild artichoke, is a resilient medicinal plant native to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. Renowned for its nutritional value and therapeutic properties, it is traditionally used to support digestive health, reduce inflammation, and provide antioxidant benefits, making it a valuable botanical resource.
- Scientific name: Gundelia
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized in the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Ultimately, it is classified under the genus Gundelia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Gundelia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Gundelia tournefortii, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Hebrew, it is called עכובית, while in Arabic, it is known as عكوب. In Russian, the name used is Гунделия, and in Azerbaijani, it is called Qundeliyia. Additionally, in Armenian, the plant is referred to as կանգար.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| he | עכובית | Wikidata |
| ar | عكوب | Wikidata |
| ru | Гунделия | Wikidata |
| az | Qundeliya | Wikidata |
| hy | կանգար | Wikidata |
| bg | гунделия | Wikidata |
| fa | کنگر علوفهای | Wikidata |
| ckb | کنگر | Wikidata |
| fi | Uurnalatvat | Wikidata |
| ku | Kereng | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions. In Northern Africa, its presence is noted within the borders of Algeria. Moving towards Central Asia, it can be found growing in Turkmenistan. The Caucasus region, specifically the Transcaucasus, also serves as a habitat for this species. Finally, its range extends into Western Asia, where it is located in both Afghanistan and Cyprus.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Algeria | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Turkmenistan | WCVP |
| Caucasus | Transcaucasus | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Afghanistan | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Cyprus | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iran | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iraq | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Lebanon-Syria | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Palestine | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Sinai | WCVP |
Chemicals
Gundelia has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include fatty acids, sterols, terpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fatty acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sterols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |