Phytolacca
Pokeberry
Phytolacca, commonly known as pokeweed, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North America. Renowned for its striking purple stems and berries, it holds a complex medicinal legacy. While used traditionally for various ailments, its potent compounds require careful handling due to the plant's inherent toxicity if consumed improperly.
- Scientific name: Phytolacca
- Family: Phytolaccaceae
- Native range: Europe
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 Caryophyllales and the family Phytolaccaceae. Ultimately, the medicinal species is categorized under the genus Phytolacca.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Phytolaccaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Phytolacca | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Phytolacca, is referred to by several common names across different linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is known as 商陆属 (zh-hans) and 商陆属 (zh-cn), while in Singapore, it is also identified as 商陆属 (zh-sg). In Traditional Chinese contexts, it is written as 商陸屬 (zh-hant), and in Hong Kong, it follows the same convention as 商陸屬 (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 商陆属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 商陸屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 商陸屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 商陆属 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 商陆属 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 商陸屬 | Wikidata |
| pl | Szkarłatka | Wikidata |
| be | Лаканос | Wikidata |
| ru | Лаконос | Wikidata |
| pdc | Dindebeer | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is documented in Denmark and Great Britain. The species can also be found throughout the landscapes of Ireland and Sweden. Moving toward Middle Europe, the plant's range extends into Austria. These locations highlight the various environmental niches the species inhabits across these northern and central territories.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
Chemicals
Phytolacca has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, triterpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| triterpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Phytolacca has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antiviral, earache, fatigue, headache.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| earache | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fatigue | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| headache | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |