Helwingia japonica
Helwingia japonica, commonly known as Japanese helwingia, is a versatile deciduous shrub native to East Asian forests. Valued in traditional medicine, its leaves and stems are utilized for their diverse therapeutic properties. This resilient plant thrives in shaded environments, offering significant botanical interest for both medicinal research and ornamental gardening.
- Scientific name: Helwingia japonica
- Family: Helwingiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Aquifoliales, it is classified under the family Helwingiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Helwingia, specifically as the species Helwingia japonica.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Aquifoliales | WCVP |
| Family | Helwingiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Helwingia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant is known by various names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is referred to as 青荚叶 (zh), with the simplified form 青荚叶 (zh-cn) and the traditional form 青莢葉 (zh-tw) being used respectively. In Japanese, the common name is ハナイカダ (ja), and in Arabic, it is transliterated as هلوينجيا جابونيكا (arz).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 青荚叶 | Wikidata |
| ja | ハナイカダ | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 青荚叶 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 青莢葉 | Wikidata |
| arz | هلوينجيا جابونيكا | Wikidata |
| zh | 叶上花 | Wikidata |
| zh | 大叶通草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 叶上珠 | Wikidata |
| zh | 小通草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 青通草 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several key regions in Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is documented across the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast territories. Beyond mainland China, it can also be found growing naturally in Japan. Additionally, the species extends its range into Korea. These diverse locations highlight its broad geographical footprint throughout the East Asian landscape.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
Chemicals
Helwingia japonica has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include arginine, threonic acid, tyrosine.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| arginine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| threonic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tyrosine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Helwingia japonica has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include dysentery.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| dysentery | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |