Melampyrum

Melampyrum, commonly known as herbaceous perennials or sometimes referred to as "yellow-flowered herbs," belongs to the Melastomataceae family. These plants are distinguished by their vibrant, often yellow, blossoms and unique leaf venation. While primarily ornamental, certain species hold significant interest in ethnobotany for their diverse medicinal properties and ecological roles.

  • Scientific name: Melampyrum
  • Family: Orobanchaceae
  • Native range: Europe

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 is further organized into the order Lamiales and the family Orobanchaceae. Finally, it is identified by the specific genus Melampyrum.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Lamiales WCVP
Family Orobanchaceae WCVP
Genus Melampyrum WCVP

Common Names

This plant, belonging to the genus Melampyrum, is known by various names depending on the linguistic region. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 山萝花属 (zh-hans) and 山萝花属 (zh-cn), while in Singapore, the name is also written as 山萝花属 (zh-sg). In Traditional Chinese contexts, it is identified as 山蘿花屬 (zh-hant), and in Hong Kong, it is commonly called 山蘿花屬 (zh-hk).
Language Common Name Source
zh-hans 山萝花属 Wikidata
zh-hant 山蘿花屬 Wikidata
zh-hk 山蘿花屬 Wikidata
zh-cn 山萝花属 Wikidata
zh-sg 山萝花属 Wikidata
zh-tw 山蘿花屬 Wikidata
sk čermeľ Wikidata
pl Pszeniec Wikidata
fr Mélampyre Wikidata
ru марьянник Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the coastal and inland landscapes of Denmark. Its presence is also well-documented across the island of Iceland. Additionally, the species inhabits the territories of both Ireland and Great Britain. Finally, the plant extends its range further north into the forests and fields of Finland.

Region Area Source
Northern Europe Denmark WCVP
Northern Europe Finland WCVP
Northern Europe Great Britain WCVP
Northern Europe Iceland WCVP
Northern Europe Ireland WCVP
Northern Europe Norway WCVP
Northern Europe Sweden WCVP
Middle Europe Austria WCVP
Middle Europe Belgium WCVP
Middle Europe Czechia-Slovakia WCVP

Chemicals

Melampyrum has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include catalpol, loganin, verbenalin.

Total chemicals
3
Scientific sources
3

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
catalpol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
loganin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
verbenalin 1 ★☆☆☆☆