Indian fleabane

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian fleabane
• Indian pluchea
• Indian marsh fleabane
• Indian camphorweed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Baccharis indica
• Placus indicus

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Pluchea indica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is further classified under the order Asterales. It is a member of the Asteraceae family, falling under the genus Pluchea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions of Asia. In the Middle East, its presence can be noted within the Arabian Peninsula, specifically in Yemen. Its range extends through Eastern Asia, where it is found in the Kazan-retto and Nansei-shoto areas. Within China, the species is distributed across the southeastern regions as well as the island of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to inhabit various coastal and subtropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Genetics

The genetics of Pluchea indica are characterized by specific chromosomal variations that play a significant role in its cytogenetic profile. Scientific observations regarding its karyotype have identified distinct chromosome numbers, specifically recorded as 20 and 30. These varying numbers suggest a level of polyploidy or chromosomal instability within the species, which can influence its evolutionary adaptation and morphological diversity across different geographical habitats. Such genetic fluctuations are often indicative of the complex genomic structure inherent to the Asteraceae family, contributing to the plant's ability to thrive in diverse ecological niches.

Chromosome number :

20, 30

Life history

The life history of Pluchea indica is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a life form classified as a hemicryptophyte, meaning its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by organic matter or the ground level. Throughout its development, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage consistently rather than shedding it seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pluchea indica is characterized by a woody growth form that functions as both a shrub and a forb. It is a self-supporting plant, meaning it does not exhibit climbing behavior such as a liana or vine, and it grows as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In its natural habitat, the plant is terrestrial in nature rather than aquatic or semiaquatic. Regarding its physical dimensions, it displays significant verticality, with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 5 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 2 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

2 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pluchea indica is characterized by its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. The morphological dimensions of its foliage exhibit significant variability, with leaf lengths typically averaging 6 cm, ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 7 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a mean of 2.75 cm, with measurements spanning from a minimum of 1.2 cm to a maximum of 3 cm. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on available soil nitrogen rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing processes.

Leaf length max:

7 cm

Leaf length mean:

6 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.75 cm

Leaf width min:

1.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pluchea indica is characterized by the production of small, specialized fruits known as achenes. These fruits exhibit a slight variation in size, with a minimum length of 0.12 cm, a mean length of 0.15 cm, and a maximum length reaching up to 0.18 cm. In terms of fruit morphology and release, the achenes are indehiscent, meaning they do not spontaneously split open at maturity to release their seeds. The dispersal of these reproductive units follows an anemochorous syndrome, indicating that the plant relies primarily on wind mechanisms to transport its seeds to new locations.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Fruit length max:

0.18 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.15 cm

Fruit length min:

0.12 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pluchea indica has 3 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, root.

Leaf

1. In vivo (Athens, Greece)
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Natural product research
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flower

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Pluchea indica has 20 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Thiophenes, 3,4,5-Tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,4,5-tri-O-Caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester, 3,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid.

Flavonoids

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Thiophenes

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

3,4,5-Tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid

1. Natural product research

3,4,5-tri-O-Caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester

1. Natural product research

3,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid

1. Natural product research

4,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester

1. Natural product research

Anthocyanins

1. Pharmaceutical biology

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

CALCIUM

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Carotenoids

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Pluchea indica has 3 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiinflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.

Antiinflammatory

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Medicinal Uses

Pluchea indica has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include dysentery, fever, hemorrhoids, inflammation, lumbago.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations