Psychotria serpens
Psychotria serpens, commonly known as the snake plant, is a fascinating medicinal shrub native to tropical regions. Renowned for its unique physiological properties, it is traditionally utilized in various herbal remedies to treat ailments ranging from skin irritations to digestive issues, making it a significant subject in ethnobotanical studies.
- Scientific name: Psychotria serpens
- Family: Rubiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Psychotria serpens, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Gentianales. Finally, it is a member of the Rubiaceae family and falls under the genus Psychotria.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Rubiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Psychotria | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Psychotria serpens, is known by various regional names across different languages. In Chinese, it is referred to as 蔓九节 (zh, zh-cn, zh-hans), while in Taiwan, it is commonly called 拎壁龍 (zh-tw). Additionally, in Japanese, the species is known as シラタマカズラ (ja).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 蔓九节 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 拎壁龍 | Wikidata |
| ja | シラタマカズラ | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 蔓九节 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 蔓九节 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 風不動藤 | Wikidata |
| zh | 风不动藤 | Wikidata |
| zh | 拎壁龙 | Wikidata |
| zh | 崧筋藤 | Wikidata |
| zh | 穿根藤 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical range concentrated throughout several regions of Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted in the Hainan province as well as across China Southeast. Its distribution extends further into Japan, specifically encompassing the Nansei-shoto islands. Additionally, the species is found throughout the territory of Taiwan. Together, these locations define the natural habitat of Psychotria serpens within the East Asian landscape.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Malaya | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Psychotria serpens, utilizes various structural components to support its medicinal properties. The stems serve as the essential framework, providing both structural stability and the vascular pathways necessary to transport nutrients throughout the organism. Complementing the stems are the leaves, which act as the primary site for photosynthesis and are often the most significant parts harvested for their concentrated bioactive compounds.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Psychotria serpens has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acacetin, ayanin, chrysin, chrysoeriol, dillenetin.
- Total chemicals
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| acacetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ayanin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chrysin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chrysoeriol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dillenetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| eriodictyol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| euscaphic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fupenzic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| genkwanin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| homoeriodictyol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Psychotria serpens has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include herpes simplex virus type 1.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| herpes simplex virus type 1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |