Melilotus albus
White sweet clover
Melilotus albus, commonly known as white sweet clover, is a perennial legume valued for its medicinal and forage properties. Rich in coumarin, it has historically been used to support circulation and digestive health. This versatile plant thrives in diverse habitats, offering significant botanical interest and therapeutic potential in herbalism.
- Scientific name: Melilotus albus
- Family: Fabaceae
- 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 falls under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is specifically identified by the genus Melilotus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Melilotus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Melilotus albus, is referred to by several common names across different Chinese linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and the specific regional variants for Hong Kong (zh-hk), Mainland China (zh-cn), and Singapore (zh-sg), it is commonly called 白花草木樨.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 白花草木樨 | Wikidata |
| pl | Nostrzyk biały | Wikidata |
| ru | донник белый | Wikidata |
| fr | Mélilot blanc | Wikidata |
| ca | melilot blanc | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a widespread presence across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally throughout the country of Denmark. In addition to this area, its distribution extends to the landscapes of Finland. The species is also well-documented across the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical range reaches the northernmost territories of Norway.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | 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 |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Chemicals
Melilotus albus has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include coumarin, chlorogenic acid, dicumarol, luteolin, naringin.
- Total chemicals
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| coumarin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorogenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dicumarol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| luteolin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| naringin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercetin-3-O-glucuronic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| soyasapogenol B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Melilotus albus has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antidiabetic.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |