plume-poppy

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• plume-poppy
• tree-celandine
• Five-seeded Plume-poppy
• five-seed plume-poppy
• tree celandine
• Plume Poppy

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bocconia cordata var. japonica
• Macleaya cordata var. thunbergii
• Marzaria cordata
• Macleaya jedoensis
• Bocconia cordata
• Bocconia cordata var. thunbergii
• Bocconia japonica
• Bocconia jedoensis
• Macleaya cordata var. jedoensis
• Macleaya cordata f. glabra

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Ranunculales, it is a member of the Papaveraceae family. Its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Macleaya, specifically the species Macleaya cordata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution that spans across several distinct regions of the world. In Middle Europe, it can be found within the territories of Germany as well as the Czechia-Slovakia region. Its presence extends into Southeastern Europe, specifically documented in Romania. Moving toward Eastern Europe, the species is also located in Ukraine. Finally, the plant's range reaches as far as China, specifically within the South-Central portion of the country.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Macleaya cordata is characterized by its specific distribution across varying altitudinal gradients, typically thriving in mid-to-lowland environments. This species occupies an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 150 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 830 m AMSL. Within this vertical distribution, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 490 m AMSL, suggesting a preference for temperate or subtropical zones found at these moderate heights. This altitudinal positioning influences the microclimates the plant inhabits, dictating the specific moisture levels and temperature regimes essential for its ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

830 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

490 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

150 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Macleaya cordata is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to establish a robust presence within its ecological niche over multiple growing seasons. As a long-lived herbaceous plant, it utilizes its perennial nature to build significant energy reserves in its root systems, which facilitates vigorous regrowth and expansion in successive years. This lifecycle enables the plant to navigate seasonal variations, transitioning from a period of active vegetative growth and large-leaf development in the warmer months to a dormant state during colder periods. Through this continuous cycle of growth and survival, Macleaya cordata is able to persist in habitats where annual or biennial species might struggle, often spreading through both seed dispersal and rhizomatous expansion to dominate its immediate environment.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Macleaya cordata is characterized by a growth form primarily classified as a non-woody herb or forb. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic lifestyle, and maintains a terrestrial existence rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. Although it exhibits climbing tendencies, it is categorized as a self-supporting plant rather than an obligatory liana or vine, relying on its own structural integrity for growth.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Macleaya cordata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and carbon fixation processes. The plant exhibits significant morphological variation in its foliage, which serves as the primary site for gas exchange and light absorption. The leaves demonstrate a broad range of dimensions, with mean leaf lengths of 16 cm and mean widths of 15 cm. However, the individual leaf size can vary considerably, ranging from a minimum length of 5 cm to a maximum length of 27 cm, and a minimum width of 5 cm to a maximum width of 25 cm. This plasticity in leaf surface area allows the plant to optimize its physiological response to varying light intensities and environmental conditions.

Leaf length max:

27 cm

Leaf length mean:

16 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

25 cm

Leaf width mean:

15 cm

Leaf width min:

5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Macleaya cordata is characterized by a highly flexible flowering period, with flowering activity observed throughout the year, beginning in December and spanning across all months from January through November. The plant produces inflorescences that vary in length, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.4 m. The resulting fruits exhibit significant morphological variation, with lengths measuring between 1.3 cm and 3 cm (averaging 2.15 cm) and widths ranging from 0.5 cm to 0.7 cm (averaging 0.6 cm). Within these fruits, the seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of 0.00173 g, though individual seed weights can fluctuate from a minimum of 0.00076 g to a maximum of 0.0027 g. Regarding the movement of offspring, the species follows a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, indicating that its seeds are primarily distributed via animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Dec

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.15 cm

Fruit length min:

1.3 cm

Fruit width max:

0.7 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.6 cm

Fruit width min:

0.5 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.4 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.15 m

Seed mass max:

0.0027 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00173 g

Seed mass min:

0.00076 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Macleaya cordata has 4 reported plant parts identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem, fruit.

Leaf

1. Scientific reports
2. Phytochemistry
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Root

1. Scientific reports
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Microorganisms

Stem

1. Scientific reports
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. The Journal of biological chemistry

Fruit

1. Journal of separation science

Chemicals

Macleaya cordata has 27 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include SANGUINARINE, chelerythrine, protopine, Allocryptopine, Bocconoline.

SANGUINARINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Talanta
4. Scientific reports
5. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology

chelerythrine

1. Talanta
2. Fitoterapia
3. PloS one
4. Journal of separation science
5. The Journal of biological chemistry

protopine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in veterinary science
3. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
4. Fitoterapia
5. PloS one

Allocryptopine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in veterinary science
3. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
4. Fitoterapia
5. PloS one

Bocconoline

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

CHELIDONINE

1. Tsitologiia
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

6-(1-Hydroxyethyl)-5,6-dihydrochelerythrine

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Angoline

1. The Journal of biological chemistry

BOCCONINE

1. Dr. Duke

Chelilutine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Macleaya cordata has 166 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antitumor, Analgesic, Anticancer, Antiinflammatory.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Fitoterapia
4. Phytochemistry
5. Chinese medicine

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese medicine
3. Journal of separation science

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese medicine

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese medicine

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

12-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Macleaya cordata has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, Cancer, MRSA, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Parkinson's disease.

Inflammation

1. PloS one
2. Chinese medicine

Cancer

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Mrsa

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Parkinson's disease

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Analgesic

1. Chinese medicine

Antidepressants

1. Tsitologiia

Arthritis

1. Frontiers in veterinary science

Autoimmunity

1. Chinese medicine

Bacterial infections

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Preparations

Macleaya cordata has 8 reported preparations identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extract, M. cordata extract, Macleaya cordata protopine total alkaloids (MPTAs), capsules, extract derived from the stem.

Extract

1. BioMed research international

M. cordata extract

1. Fitoterapia

Macleaya cordata protopine total alkaloids (mptas)

1. Research in veterinary science

Capsules

1. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology

Extract derived from the stem

1. The Journal of biological chemistry

Extracts

1. Talanta

Hairy root cultures

1. Scientific reports

Powder

1. Poultry science