lungwort

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• blue lungwort
• lungwort
• Common Lungwort
• Jerusalem cowslip
• Jerusalem-sage
• Joseph-and-Mary
• Mary-spilt-the-milk
• bloody-butcher
• boys-and-girls
• hundreds-and-thousands
• soldiers-and sailors
• spotted-dog

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. Following its placement in the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Boraginales, it is a member of the Boraginaceae family. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Pulmonaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is well-documented in Denmark and Great Britain. It can also be found growing within the landscapes of Ireland and Sweden. Moving toward the central part of the continent, the species extends into Middle Europe. Specifically, its geographical range includes the territory of Austria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pulmonaria officinalis is fundamentally characterized by its preference for shaded, temperate environments, most notably within the forest ecosystem. As a woodland specialist, it thrives in the moist, nutrient-rich soils typically found on the forest floor, where it occupies the herbaceous layer under a canopy of deciduous trees. This habitat provides the essential microclimate of dappled sunlight and consistent humidity required for its growth. Within these forested landscapes, the plant is often associated with calcareous or neutral soils, benefiting from the organic leaf litter that accumulates to form a rich humus layer. Its presence is a biological indicator of stable, semi-shaded woodland conditions where moisture levels remain relatively high and seasonal fluctuations are moderated by the protective forest cover.

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Pulmonaria officinalis is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or the earth during unfavorable conditions. This species exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, maintaining its foliage throughout much of the year to optimize photosynthetic activity in its typical shaded habitats.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pulmonaria officinalis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. This self-supporting plant is strictly terrestrial in its habitat and functions as an independent organism, rather than a parasite. In terms of stature, it maintains a relatively low profile, with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.3 m, resulting in an average height of approximately 0.15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.15 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pulmonaria officinalis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which is typical for many temperate herbaceous perennials operating in shaded or semi-shaded woodland environments. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on soil-based nutrient uptake through its root system rather than capturing insects. Its morphological and physiological investment in foliage is reflected in a mean leaf size of approximately 65.295 cm², supporting its metabolic requirements. Furthermore, the plant possesses a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 296.95 cm²/g, a value that provides insight into its leaf thickness and the efficiency of its light interception relative to its biomass investment.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

65.295 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

296.95 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pulmonaria officinalis is primarily a sexual process, as both asexual reproduction and self-fertilization are absent in this species. The flowering period is specifically concentrated in the month of April, marking a precise seasonal window for its reproductive cycle. The plant relies on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome where bees play a crucial role in the transfer of pollen. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds with a highly consistent mass, recorded at a mean, minimum, and maximum of 0.00364 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, with a specialized myrmecochorous component, suggesting that ants play a significant role in transporting the seeds to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

myrmecochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass mean:

0.00364 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Pulmonaria officinalis has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Alcohols, Fatty acids, GLYCOPEPTIDE, Phytol, Proanthocyanidins.

Alcohols

1. Pharmaceutics

Fatty acids

1. Pharmaceutics

GLYCOPEPTIDE

1. Gematologiia i transfuziologiia

Phytol

1. Pharmaceutics

Proanthocyanidins

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Terpenoids

1. Pharmaceutics

Yunnaneic acid E

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

polyphenols

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Activities

Pulmonaria officinalis has 4 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticoagulant, Antigenotoxic, Antioxidant, Genotoxic.

Anticoagulant

1. Gematologiia i transfuziologiia

Antigenotoxic

1. Pharmaceutics

Antioxidant

1. Pharmaceutics

Genotoxic

1. Pharmaceutics

Conditions

Pulmonaria officinalis has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include neurodegenerative disorders.

Neurodegenerative disorders

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Preparations

Pulmonaria officinalis has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 70% ethanolic extract, ammonia extract, aqueous extracts (10% mass), ethanolic extracts (10% mass and 70% ethanol).

70% ethanolic extract

1. Pharmaceutics

Ammonia extract

1. Gematologiia i transfuziologiia

Aqueous extracts (10% mass)

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Ethanolic extracts (10% mass and 70% ethanol)

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences