Homalanthus nutans
Homalanthus nutans, commonly known as the White Spurge, is a tropical shrub valued in traditional medicine. Native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific, its leaves are frequently utilized to treat skin ailments, inflammation, and digestive issues. This versatile plant offers significant ethnobotanical potential for modern pharmacological research and development.
- Scientific name: Homalanthus nutans
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Pacific
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Malpighiales and is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. Specifically, it is categorized under the genus Homalanthus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Homalanthus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Homalanthus nutans, is referred to by different names depending on the linguistic context. In the Fonuamamala language, it is known as Fonuamamala, while in Japanese, its common name is written as ホマランツス・ヌタンス.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| to | Fonuamamala | Wikidata |
| ja | ホマランツス・ヌタンス | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across the Southwestern Pacific region. Within this area, its presence is specifically noted in the islands of Fiji and Niue. It can also be found growing in the diverse landscapes of New Caledonia. Furthermore, the species extends its range to the island nation of Samoa. Finally, its geographical footprint includes the archipelago of Tonga.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Pacific | Fiji | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Niue | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | New Caledonia | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Samoa | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Tonga | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Vanuatu | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Wallis-Futuna Is. | WCVP |
| South-Central Pacific | Cook Is. | WCVP |
| South-Central Pacific | Society Is. | WCVP |
| South-Central Pacific | Tubuai Is. | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the Creeping Madagascar, utilizes various structures to sustain its medicinal properties. The root system serves as the foundational anchor, absorbing essential nutrients and water from the soil to support the plant's growth. Above ground, the stem tissue provides the necessary structural integrity and internal transport pathways to distribute resources throughout the organism. Finally, the specialized leaf tissues are vital for photosynthesis and often contain the concentrated bioactive compounds that are most frequently sought after for their therapeutic potential.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem tissue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf tissues | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Homalanthus nutans has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include prostratin, 12-deoxyphorbol 13-acetate.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| prostratin | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 12-deoxyphorbol 13-acetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Homalanthus nutans has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiviral.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Homalanthus nutans has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include AIDS, HIV, hepatitis.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| AIDS | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HIV | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatitis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |