Memecylon umbellatum
Memecylon umbellatum, commonly known as the Umbrella Tree, is a versatile medicinal plant native to tropical Africa. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, it is traditionally used to treat ailments ranging from skin infections to digestive issues. Its leaves and bark contain bioactive compounds vital to ethnobotanical research.
- Scientific name: Memecylon umbellatum
- Family: Melastomataceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Myrtales and the family Melastomataceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Memecylon, with the specific species name being umbellatum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Myrtales | WCVP |
| Family | Melastomataceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Memecylon | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Memecylon umbellatum, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Bengali, it is commonly referred to as অঞ্জন, while in Malayalam, it is known as കാശാവ് and also as കായാമ്പൂ. Furthermore, it is called காயாம்பூ in Tamil and అల్లి in Telugu.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| bn | অঞ্জন | Wikidata |
| ml | കാശാവ് | Wikidata |
| ta | காயாம்பூ | Wikidata |
| te | అల్లి | Wikidata |
| ml | കായാമ്പൂ | Wikidata |
| ml | കാഞ്ഞാവ് | Wikidata |
| ml | Ironwood Tree | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions of Asia. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in India and the state of Assam. Its presence also extends to the island nation of Sri Lanka. Moving toward the Indo-China region, the species is documented in Cambodia. Additionally, its range includes the Andaman Islands.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Nicobar Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
| Malesia | Malaya | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Memeilcylon umbellatum, is a medicinal shrub where the fresh leaves serve as the primary part used for therapeutic purposes. These green, succulent leaves are frequently harvested in their raw state to prepare decoctions or infusions, leveraging their natural chemical constituents to treat various ailments. Because the medicinal potency is often highest when the leaves are freshly picked, careful collection of these leaves is essential for ensuring the efficacy of traditional remedies derived from the species.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Memecylon umbellatum has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acid phosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, esterase, peroxidase.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| acid phosphatase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alcohol dehydrogenase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alkaline phosphatase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| esterase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| peroxidase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Memecylon umbellatum has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Acinetobacter baumannii, breast cancer.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter baumannii | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |