Mallotus peltatus
Mallotus peltatus, commonly known as the "Red-leafed Mallotus," is a distinctive evergreen shrub native to tropical regions. Renowned for its vibrant, reddish foliage and medicinal properties, it is used in traditional healing to treat skin ailments and inflammation. This plant plays a vital role in biodiversity and ethnobotany.
- Scientific name: Mallotus peltatus
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
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 the family Euphorbiaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Mallotus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malpighiales | WCVP |
| Family | Euphorbiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Mallotus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Mallotus peltatus, is known by several different common names across various linguistic contexts. In Chinese, it is frequently referred to as 山苦茶 (zh, zh-cn, zh-tw, zh-hans) and is also identified by the name 鹧鸪茶 (zh).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 山苦茶 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 山苦茶 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 山苦茶 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 山苦茶 | Wikidata |
| zh | 鹧鸪茶 | Wikidata |
| es | Mallotus oblongifolius | Wikidata |
| it | Mallotus oblongifolius | Wikidata |
| fr | Mallotus oblongifolius | Wikidata |
| bg | Mallotus oblongifolius | Wikidata |
| ru | Mallotus oblongifolius | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across several key Asian regions. Within China, its presence is noted in both Hainan and the Southeast coastal areas. The Indian Subcontinent also serves as a significant part of its range, specifically within India. Furthermore, the species extends into the Indo-China region, where it can be found on the Andaman Islands. Finally, its geographical footprint includes the country of Cambodia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Nicobar Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Borneo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Mallotus peltatus, utilizes its leaves as a primary component in traditional medicinal applications. The leaves are characterized by their distinct shape and texture, serving as the specific part of the plant harvested to extract bioactive compounds. In various herbal practices, these leaves are often processed to treat different ailments, highlighting the significant pharmacological importance of the foliage in the plant's overall medicinal profile.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Mallotus peltatus has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ursolic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ursolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Mallotus peltatus has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include HSV-1, HSV-2, herpes simplex virus.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| HSV-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HSV-2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herpes simplex virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |