Heritiera littoralis
Looking glass mangrove
Heritiera littoralis, commonly known as the Coastal Heritage plant, is a resilient medicinal herb native to sandy maritime ecosystems. Renowned for its potent antioxidant properties, it is traditionally utilized to soothe skin inflammations and support digestive health. This unique species offers significant pharmacological potential for modern integrative medicine.
- Scientific name: Heritiera littoralis
- Family: Malvaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales, it is further categorized under the family Malvaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Heritiera.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Malvaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Heritiera | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Heritiera littoralis, is known by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is referred to as 银叶树 (zh-hans), 銀葉樹 (zh-hant), and 銀葉樹 (zh-hk), while in Japanese, it is called サキシマスオウノキ (ja), and in Vietnamese, it is known as Cui biển (vi).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 银叶树 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 銀葉樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 銀葉樹 | Wikidata |
| ja | サキシマスオウノキ | Wikidata |
| vi | Cui biển | Wikidata |
| ms | Pokok Dungun | Wikidata |
| to | Mamaea | Wikidata |
| zh | 銀葉樹 | Wikidata |
| id | Dungun | Wikidata |
| yue | 銀葉樹 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions of the African continent and its surrounding waters. In East Tropical Africa, its presence is noted within the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. Moving southward, it can also be found throughout South Tropical Africa, specifically in Mozambique. The species extends into the Western Indian Ocean, where it inhabits the islands of Comoros. Finally, its geographical range reaches as far as the large island of Madagascar.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Heritiera littoralis, possesses distinct morphological characteristics in its medicinal components, specifically within its leaves and fruits. The leaves are typically large, coriaceous, and elliptical in shape, often utilized in traditional practices for their various bioactive properties. Meanwhile, the fruits are distinctive, often appearing as large, woody capsules that play a crucial role in the plant's reproductive cycle and contribute to its overall chemical profile.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Fruits | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Heritiera littoralis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ergosterol, loliolide, sesquiterpene, stigmast-4-en-3-one, stigmasterol.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ergosterol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| loliolide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sesquiterpene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stigmast-4-en-3-one | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stigmasterol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| triterpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Heritiera littoralis has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include colitis.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| colitis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |