Melilotus

Melilotus, commonly known as sweet clover, is a versatile medicinal herb belonging to the Fabaceae family. Renowned for its high coumarin content, it has historically been used to support circulation and soothe inflammation. This resilient plant offers diverse therapeutic potential, making it a subject of significant botanical interest.

  • Scientific name: Melilotus
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. It is specifically identified by its genus name, 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, belonging to the genus Melilotus, is known by several different names depending on the regional linguistic context. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 草木樨属 (zh-cn) or 草木犀属 (zh-hans and zh-sg), while in Traditional Chinese, it is identified as 草木犀屬 (zh-hant and zh-hk).
Language Common Name Source
zh-hans 草木犀属 Wikidata
zh-hant 草木犀屬 Wikidata
zh-hk 草木犀屬 Wikidata
zh-cn 草木樨属 Wikidata
zh-sg 草木犀属 Wikidata
zh-tw 草木犀屬 Wikidata
pl nostrzyk Wikidata
fr Mélilot Wikidata
be баркун Wikidata
he דבשה Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical presence across several Northern European territories. It is commonly found growing throughout the diverse landscapes of Denmark. Furthermore, its distribution extends to the northern reaches of Finland. The species is also well-established within the regions of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its range continues through the rugged terrain 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 has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include coumarin.

Total chemicals
1
Scientific sources
1

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
coumarin 1 ★☆☆☆☆