Tai Zi Shen

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Heterophylly false-starwort

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Krascheninikovia rhaphanorrhiza
• Pseudostellaria heterophylla f. puberula
• Krascheninikovia koidzumiana
• Krascheninikovia heterophylla
• Stellaria rhaphanorrhiza
• Pseudostellaria koidzumiana
• Pseudostellaria bulbosa
• Krascheninikovia bulbosa
• Pseudostellaria rhaphanorrhiza
• Pseudostellaria heterophylla var. puberula

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Caryophyllaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement is completed within the genus Pseudostellaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct regions of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, its presence is specifically noted within the Primorye region. The species is also widely documented throughout various parts of China, including the South-Central areas. Furthermore, its range extends into the northern territories of China, spanning Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. Finally, the plant can be found inhabiting the North-Central regions of China as well.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pseudostellaria heterophylla is primarily defined by its specific altitudinal distribution within montane ecosystems. This species inhabits a broad vertical gradient, occupying diverse microclimates ranging from lower montane zones to high-altitude environments. Its elevational range begins at a minimum of 800 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 2700 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 1750 m AMSL. This distribution suggests that the plant is well-adapted to the varying atmospheric pressures, temperature fluctuations, and moisture availability characteristic of these mid-to-high altitude terrains.

Elevational range max:

2700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1750 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

800 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Pseudostellaria heterophyllia is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, meaning the plant lives for more than two years and undergoes multiple seasonal growth cycles. As a perennial species, it possesses the capacity to persist through varying environmental conditions, often establishing a stable root system that allows for repeated vegetative growth and reproductive phases over successive seasons. This long-term survival strategy enables the plant to recover from seasonal stresses and maintain a continuous presence within its ecological niche, unlike annuals or biennials that complete their life cycle in a single or double season.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pseudostellaria heterophylla is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. It functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber, maintaining its structure without the need for external support. In terms of stature, the plant is relatively small, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.2 m, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 0.175 m.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

0.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.175 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiological profile of Pseudostellaria heterophyllas is characterized by significant morphological variability in its foliar structures, which play a critical role in its metabolic and photosynthetic efficiency. The leaf dimensions exhibit a wide range of plasticity, with leaf lengths varying from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, maintaining a mean length of approximately 4.5 cm. Complementing this longitudinal variation is a distinct range in leaf width, which fluctuates between a minimum of 0.2 cm and a maximum of 1.7 cm. This structural diversity in leaf area and shape suggests an adaptive physiological mechanism for optimizing light interception and gas exchange within its specific ecological niche.

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length mean:

4.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

1.7 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 3 reported plant parts identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf, stem.

Root

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Frontiers in nutrition
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf

1. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Stem

1. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Chemicals

Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 41 reported phytochemicals identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ABSCISIC ACID, Heterophyllin B, Saponins, Cyclic peptides, Flavonoids.

ABSCISIC ACID

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Scientific reports

Heterophyllin B

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Saponins

1. Scientific reports
2. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
3. PloS one

Cyclic peptides

1. Natural product research
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. PloS one

GA3

1. Scientific reports
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

2,3-butanediol

1. Biology

2-minalin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

3-Furfuryl pyrrole-2-carboxylate

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

ABA

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Activities

Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 5 reported activities identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antitumor, Hypoglycemic, Anticancer, Antifungal.

Antioxidant

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitumor

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypoglycemic

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 11 reported investigations on conditions identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antioxidant, LSD, Viral infection, cancer, cardiovascular diseases.

Antioxidant

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Lsd

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Viral infection

1. Virus research

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Disease

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Fatigue

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypoglycemic

1. International journal of biological macromolecules

Insulin resistance

1. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

Oxidative stress

1. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

Preparations

Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 19 reported preparations identified across 20 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include PH-I A, PH-I B, PH-I C, PH-I Ca, PH-I Cb.

Ph-i a

1. International journal of immunopharmacology

Ph-i b

1. International journal of immunopharmacology

Ph-i c

1. International journal of immunopharmacology

Ph-i ca

1. International journal of immunopharmacology

Ph-i cb

1. International journal of immunopharmacology

Radix pseudostellariae

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Aqueous extraction method

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dried tuberous roots

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Fibrous root

1. Natural product research

Fresh roots

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)