Jateorhiza macrantha

Jateorhiza macrantha, commonly known as Devil's Pepper, is a potent medicinal shrub native to West Africa. Renowned for its intense bitterness, the roots are widely used in traditional medicine to treat digestive ailments, fever, and inflammation. Its unique phytochemical properties make it a vital resource in ethnopharmacology.

  • Scientific name: Jateorhiza macrantha
  • Family: Menispermaceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ranunculales, falling within the family Menispermaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Jateorhiza.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Ranunculales WCVP
Family Menispermaceae WCVP
Genus Jateorhiza WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in Nigeria. Its presence extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it inhabits the territory of Cabinda. Furthermore, the species is documented within the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Finally, its geographical range includes the nation of Congo within the West-Central Tropical Africa zone.

Region Area Source
West Tropical Africa Nigeria WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Cabinda WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Central African Republic WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Cameroon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Congo WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Gabon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Gulf of Guinea Is. WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa DR Congo WCVP

Chemicals

Jateorhiza macrantha has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn.

Total chemicals
7
Scientific sources
7

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
Ca 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Cu 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Fe 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Mg 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Mn 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Na 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Zn 1 ★☆☆☆☆