Paris chinensis

Paris chinensis, commonly known as Paris quadrifolia or herb paris, is a perennial woodland plant valued in traditional medicine. Renowned for its unique saponin content, it has historically been used to treat inflammation and skin conditions. However, its potent bioactive compounds require careful handling due to potential toxicity.

  • Scientific name: Paris chinensis
  • Family: Melanthiaceae
  • Native range: Asia-Temperate

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Liliales, it is further categorized under the family Melanthiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Paris.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Liliales WCVP
Family Melanthiaceae WCVP
Genus Paris WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Paris chinensis, is known by various common names depending on the linguistic region. In Chinese, it is referred to as 中华重楼 (zh), and specifically in mainland China, it is called 中华重楼 (zh-cn), while in Taiwan, the traditional character form 中華重樓 (zh-tw) is used.
Language Common Name Source
zh 中华重楼 Wikidata
zh-cn 中华重楼 Wikidata
zh-tw 中華重樓 Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions in East and Southeast Asia. In China, it is commonly found throughout the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its presence extends to the island of Taiwan within the Eastern Asia region. Additionally, the species is located within the Indo-China peninsula. Specifically, it can be identified in both Thailand and Vietnam.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
China China Southeast WCVP
Eastern Asia Taiwan WCVP
Indo-China Thailand WCVP
Indo-China Vietnam WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, known scientifically as Paris chinensis, possesses various medicinal components distributed throughout its structure. The aerial parts of the organism include the visible growth above the soil, which consists primarily of its broad, dark green leaves and slender stems. However, the most significant medicinal component is the underground rhizome, specifically referred to in traditional pharmacology as Rhizoma Pariodis. This specialized rootstock is the primary part harvested for its therapeutic properties.
Total parts
6
Scientific sources
7
Plant Part Sources Confidence
aerial parts 2 ★☆☆☆☆
stems 1 ★☆☆☆☆
rhizome 1 ★☆☆☆☆
leaves 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Rhizoma Paridis 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Aerial Parts 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Paris chinensis has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hemostatic.

Total activities
1
Scientific sources
1

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Hemostatic 1 ★☆☆☆☆