White dead-nettle

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• white dead-nettle
• white henbit
• white nettle
• White Deadnettle
• white-nettle

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Lamium album, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. It is further categorized into the genus Lamium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a notable presence across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing throughout the landscapes of Denmark. Its distribution also extends to the territories of Finland and Norway. Additionally, the species is widely documented across Great Britain. Finally, it is also recorded within the borders of Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lamium album is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments, frequently colonizing habitats such as crop fields, forest edges, and meadows. It is commonly found in varied landscapes ranging from dry shrubberies and steppes to stony places. This species exhibits a specific altitudinal distribution, thriving primarily at higher elevations with a mean elevation of 2300 m AMSL. Its vertical range is bounded by a minimum elevation of 1800 m AMSL and reaches a maximum altitude of 3000 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1800 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, forest edges, meadows: dry, shrubberies, steppe, stony places

Life history

The life history of Lamium album is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, it survives unfavorable periods by protecting its perennuating buds at or just below the soil surface. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage during dormant periods to conserve energy and resources.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lamium album is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This terrestrial plant is independent, meaning it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte. It is a self-supporting species rather than a climber, exhibiting an ascending shoot orientation. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1.4 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.317 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.4 m

Plant height mean:

0.317 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lamium album is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on standard autotrophic processes for energy production. The plant's foliage exhibits specific morphological dimensions, with a mean leaf width of 3.5 cm, a value that remains consistent across its minimum and maximum recorded widths. The leaves possess a mean surface area of approximately 19.70514 cm² and can reach a maximum length of up to 6 cm. Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 359.02 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its physiological efficiency in light interception and resource allocation.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf size mean:

19.70514 cm²

Leaf width mean:

3.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

359.02 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lamium album is primarily a sexual process characterized by bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period is extensive, typically beginning in April and continuing through October. The plant relies on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome where bees play a significant role in the transfer of pollen. Self-fertilization is noted as absent, highlighting the importance of these insect visitors for successful reproduction. Following fertilization, the plant produces seeds with highly consistent dimensions, featuring a mean seed length of 2 mm (with minimum and maximum values also at 2 mm) and a mean seed mass of approximately 0.0015555 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00151 g to a maximum of 0.0018 g. Seed dispersal is facilitated through a combination of syndromes, including zoochorous and autochorous mechanisms, allowing the plant to spread its offspring through animal movement and self-dispersal methods.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0018 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0015555 g

Seed mass min:

0.00151 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lamium album has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower.

Flower

1. Toxins
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Chemicals

Lamium album has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Eurostoside, Geniposide, Loganic acid, Loganin, Picroside II.

Eurostoside

1. Journal of natural products

Geniposide

1. Journal of natural products

Loganic acid

1. Journal of natural products

Loganin

1. Journal of natural products

Picroside II

1. Journal of natural products

Shanzhiside methyl ester

1. Journal of natural products

Tiliroside

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Verbenalin

1. Journal of natural products

linoleic acid

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

linolenic acid

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Activities

Lamium album has 7 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antibiotic, Antimicrobial, Antiseptic.

Antioxidant

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Antibacterial

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Antibiotic

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Antiseptic

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Antispasmodic

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Astringent

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Conditions

Lamium album has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Fusarium infections, asthma, bacterial infections, cancer, inflammations.

Fusarium infections

1. Toxins

Asthma

1. Journal of pharmacopuncture

Bacterial infections

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Cancer

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Inflammations

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Obstructive pulmonary diseases

1. Journal of pharmacopuncture

Tumor

1. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment

Wound healing

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Lamium album has 4 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract of the flowering tops, ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts and flowers, flower extracts, infusions.

Aqueous extract of the flowering tops

1. Journal of natural products

Ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts and flowers

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Flower extracts

1. Toxins

Infusions

1. Frontiers in pharmacology