Heliotropium elongatum
Heliotropium elongatum, commonly known as the elongated heliotrope, is a resilient medicinal shrub native to arid coastal regions. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it holds significant ethnobotanical importance. Traditional practices utilize its extracts to treat various ailments, offering promising potential for modern pharmacological research and therapeutic development.
- Scientific name: Heliotropium elongatum
- Family: Boraginaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Boraginales. Finally, it is a member of the family Boraginaceae and falls within the genus Heliotropium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Boraginales | WCVP |
| Family | Boraginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Heliotropium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Heliotropium elongatum, is known by various common names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In English, it is frequently referred to as the long-leaved heliotrope, while in Spanish, it is commonly called heliotropo alargado or yerba de la reina. In Portuguese, the species is identified as heliotrópio-alongado, and in French, it is known as héliotrope allongé.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide and diverse geographical distribution spanning several continents. In South Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted in Malawi. Moving to the Malesia region, it can be found in Jawa. Its reach extends to Western South America, where it inhabits Bolivia. Finally, within Brazil, the species is distributed across both the West-Central and Northeast regions.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
| Western South America | Bolivia | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil West-Central | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil Northeast | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil Southeast | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil North | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil South | WCVP |
| Southern South America | Argentina Northeast | WCVP |
| Southern South America | Argentina Northwest | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Heliotropium elongatum, features distinct morphological characteristics, particularly in its leaves, which serve as a primary component for identification and potential medicinal application. The leaves are typically arranged along the stem and are characterized by their elongated shape, which gives the species its specific name. These leaves possess a fine texture and can vary in size depending on the plant's maturity and environmental conditions, playing a crucial role in the plant's photosynthetic processes and overall vitality.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Heliotropium elongatum has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include anthraquinones, flavonoids, flavonols, saponins, steroids.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| anthraquinones | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| steroids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ursolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Heliotropium elongatum has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Heliotropium elongatum has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cough, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cough | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |