Polianthes tuberosa
Tuberose
Polianthes tuberosa, commonly known as tuberose, is a fragrant flowering plant celebrated for its intoxicating scent. Beyond its ornamental beauty, this species holds significant value in traditional medicine. Its essential oils and extracts are studied for their potential therapeutic properties, including sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects in herbal remedies.
- Scientific name: Polianthes tuberosa
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Asparagaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Polianthes.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asparagales | WCVP |
| Family | Asparagaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Polianthes | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Polianthes tuberosa, is recognized by various names across different languages and regions. In Chinese, it is commonly referred to as 晚香玉, a term used in Traditional Chinese (zh-tw), Simplified Chinese (zh-cn), and standard Chinese (zh). In Norwegian (nb), it is known as tuberose, while in the Shan language (shn), its name is written as မွၵ်ႇၵၢၼ်ႈငွၵ်ႉ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-tw | 晚香玉 | Wikidata |
| zh | 晚香玉 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 晚香玉 | Wikidata |
| nb | tuberose | Wikidata |
| shn | မွၵ်ႇၵၢၼ်ႈငွၵ်ႉ | Wikidata |
| zh | 夜来香 | Wikidata |
| en | tuberose | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a remarkably broad and diverse geographical distribution across several continents and oceans. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically within the borders of Rwanda. Its presence extends to the Western Indian Ocean, where it grows in the Seychelles. The species also reaches into Western Asia, specifically inhabiting regions of Türkiye. Finally, its range stretches across the Pacific, including the Society Islands in the South-Central Pacific and the Caroline Islands in the Northwestern Pacific.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Türkiye | WCVP |
| South-Central Pacific | Society Is. | WCVP |
| Northwestern Pacific | Caroline Is. | WCVP |
| Northwestern Pacific | Marianas | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Central | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Northeast | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southwest | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southeast | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Polianthes tuberosa, is a medicinal species where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The most significant parts used in traditional remedies are the fresh tubers, which are harvested from underground to extract their active compounds. Additionally, the aerial parts, including the stems and leaves, are often collected and processed to prepare decoctions or infusions, making the entire structure of the plant vital to its medicinal application.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fresh tubers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Polianthes tuberosa has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1-tricosanol, ethyl beta-D-galactopyranoside, ethyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, eugenol, polianthoside B.
- Total chemicals
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1-tricosanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl beta-D-galactopyranoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| eugenol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside B | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside C | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside D | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside E | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside F | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polianthoside G | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Polianthes tuberosa has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include HIV, diseases, immunocompromised patients.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| HIV | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| immunocompromised patients | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |