Pterocarpus
Pterocarpus, commonly known as the Padauk tree, is a versatile medicinal plant highly valued in traditional herbalism. Renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, various parts of the tree are utilized to treat skin ailments, promote wound healing, and support overall wellness through diverse therapeutic applications.
- Scientific name: Pterocarpus
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically classified within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It falls under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Its taxonomic identification is completed by its classification within the genus Pterocarpus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pterocarpus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Pterocarpus, is referred to by several common names depending on the linguistic region. In Simplified Chinese, it is identified as 紫檀属 (zh-hans) and 紫檀属 (zh-cn), as well as 紫檀属 (zh-sg). In Traditional Chinese, the name is written as 紫檀屬 (zh-hant) and 紫檀屬 (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 紫檀属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 紫檀屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 紫檀屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 紫檀属 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 紫檀属 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 紫檀屬 | Wikidata |
| ru | Птерокарпус | Wikidata |
| ml | തകരമരം | Wikidata |
| te | టిరోకార్పస్ | Wikidata |
| az | Pterokarpus | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several nations within the West Tropical Africa region. Specifically, its presence has been documented in the country of Benin. It also thrives within the borders of Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species can be found growing in Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends to the coastal areas of Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
Chemicals
Pterocarpus has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include fatty acids, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, terpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fatty acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoflavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |