Russelia equisetiformis
Russelia equisetiformis, commonly known as Firecracker Plant, is a vibrant ornamental shrub prized for its tubular, scarlet blooms. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical value, utilized in traditional medicine for its purported antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, offering a fascinating intersection of landscape beauty and healing potential.
- Scientific name: Russelia equisetiformis
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- 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 Lamiales, it is classified under the family Plantaginaeae. Its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Russelia, with the species name equisetiformis.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Plantaginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Russelia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Russelia equisetiformis, is recognized by various common names across different languages and cultures. In Bulgaria, it is referred to as руселия, while in Russia, it is called Русселия хвощевидная. In Thailand, the plant is known as ประทัดจีน, and in Indonesia, it goes by the name Bunga air mancur. Additionally, in Persian, it is commonly called گل مرجانی.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| bg | руселия | Wikidata |
| ru | Русселия хвощевидная | Wikidata |
| th | ประทัดจีน | Wikidata |
| id | Bunga air mancur | Wikidata |
| fa | گل مرجانی | Wikidata |
| ur | رسیلیا ایکوسیٹی فورمس | Wikidata |
| ja | 花丁字 | Wikidata |
| cs | ruselie přesličkovitá | Wikidata |
| zh | 炮仗竹 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 炮仗竹 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning multiple tropical regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted in Guinea. Its range extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, encompassing both Cameroon and the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Furthermore, the species can be found within the Western Indian Ocean region. Specifically, it inhabits the islands of Comoros and Réunion.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
Chemicals
Russelia equisetiformis has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include gallic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |