Pisonia aculeata
Mock bougainvillea
Pisonia acuata, commonly known as the Water Bush or Water Bush Tea, is a versatile medicinal plant native to tropical regions. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, it is frequently used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, ranging from digestive issues to inflammatory conditions, offering significant pharmacological potential.
- Scientific name: Pisonia aculeata
- Family: Nyctaginaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Pisonia acuata, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Caryophyllales and the family Nyctaginaceae. It is further identified by the genus Pisonia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Caryophyllales | WCVP |
| Family | Nyctaginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pisonia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Pisonia acuata, is referred to by various names across different linguistic and regional contexts. In Chinese, it is commonly called 腺果藤 (zh, zh-tw, zh-cn), while in Russian, it is known as Пизония шиповатая (ru). Additionally, in the Malagasy language, it is identified as Alar (mad).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 腺果藤 | Wikidata |
| ru | Пизония шиповатая | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 腺果藤 | Wikidata |
| mad | Alar | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 腺果藤 | Wikidata |
| ar | حوقم | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 刺藤 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 腺果水冬瓜 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 齒托 | Wikidata |
| zh | 刺藤 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent and its surrounding islands. Within the Macaronesia archipelago, its presence is specifically noted in Cape Verde. Moving to the mainland, it is widely spread throughout West Tropical Africa. This regional coverage includes significant populations found in Benin, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Finally, its geographical range extends further east to include Nigeria.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Pisonia acuata, utilizes its leaves as a primary component in its medicinal profile. The leaves are often the focus of traditional applications, where they may be processed or applied topically to harness their specific bioactive properties. Depending on the preparation method, these leaves serve as a vital part of the plant's therapeutic identity.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Pisonia aculeata has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |