Podophyllum versipelle
Podophyllum versipellis, commonly known as Mayapple, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to North American woodlands. Renowned for its large, umbrella-like leaves and distinctive yellow flowers, it contains podophyllotoxin. This potent compound is medicinally significant, serving as a critical precursor in the synthesis of various anticancer chemotherapy drugs.
- Scientific name: Podophyllum versipelle
- Family: Berberidaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified under the order Ranunculales and the family Berberidaceae. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Podophyllum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ranunculales | WCVP |
| Family | Berberidaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Podophyllum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Podophyllum versipervillus, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Finnish, it is called kiinanjalkalehti, while in Chinese, it is known as 八角莲 (zh), 八角莲 (zh-cn), and 八角蓮 (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| fi | kiinanjalkalehti | Wikidata |
| zh | 八角莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 八角莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 八角蓮 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several key regions in East and Southeast Asia. In China, its presence is noted throughout the South-Central provinces. It can also be found extending into the North-Central areas of the country. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed across China Southeast. Finally, its range reaches into the Indo-China region, specifically within Vietnam.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known commonly as Mayapple, derives its primary medicinal value from its underground structures. The most significant part used in pharmacology is the rhizomes, which are often referred to as the rhizoma in botanical texts. These fleshy, horizontal structures function as the plant's storage centers, and when processed for therapeutic use, they are identified as the radix of the species. While the aerial stem supports the large leaves and fruit, the medicinal potency is concentrated within these subterranean roots, making the extraction of the active alkaloids from the underground organs essential for its application.- Total parts
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 12
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhizomes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhizoma | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| radix | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| callus cultures | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Podophyllum versipelle has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antiviral.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |