Texas sage

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• blood-sage
• scarlet-sage

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Horminum coccineum
• Salvia coccinea var. minima
• Salvia mollissima
• Salvia rosea
• Salvia superba
• Salvia coccinea var. pseudococcinea
• Salvia coccinea pumila
• Salvia coccinea f. pseudococcinea
• Salvia glaucescens
• Salvia galeottii
• Salvia filamentosa
• Salvia pseudococcinea

Regional and Traditional Names

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 Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae, it is classified under the genus Salvia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several distinct global regions. In Middle Europe, its presence can be noted within the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. The species also inhabits various locations across Macaronesia, specifically the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and Madeira. Furthermore, it is found in West-Central Tropical Africa, particularly among the islands of the Gulf of Guinea. This wide-ranging habitat demonstrates the plant's ability to adapt to multiple unique environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Salvia coccineia is characterized by its broad vertical distribution, spanning an elevational range from 0 m AMSL to a maximum of 1900 m AMSL. This extensive altitudinal gradient allows the species to occupy diverse topographical niches, ranging from lowland environments to higher montane zones. While specific data regarding its primary habitat remains categorized as unknown or indeterminate (?), its ability to persist across such a significant elevational spread suggests a high degree of environmental plasticity and adaptability to varying climatic conditions and soil types found within these diverse altitude strata.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Genetics

The genetics of Salvia coccinea are characterized by specific karyotypic variations and reproductive stability. The species exhibits a chromosome number that can vary between 20 and 22, reflecting the inherent cytogenetic diversity within the taxon. Furthermore, the plant is categorized by a ploidy level of 2, indicating that it is a diploid organism, which serves as the fundamental genetic baseline for its evolutionary development and biochemical expression.

Chromosome number :

20, 22

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Salvia coccinea is characterized by its classification as a perennial, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its life cycle in a single year. In terms of its structural growth habit and survival strategy, the plant functions as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the photosynthetic organs are located close to the soil surface, often protected by leaf litter or snow during unfavorable periods. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a chamaephyte life form allows the species to establish stable populations that can endure seasonal environmental fluctuations by maintaining its regenerative capacity near the ground level.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Salvia coccinea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, typically functioning as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or vine. It is a terrestrial species, existing independently without parasitic or epiphytic dependencies. The plant exhibits an ascending shoot orientation, reaching a height that ranges from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Salvia coccineas is characterized by specific morphological adaptations in its foliage, which serves as the primary site for metabolic processes and gas exchange. The leaves exhibit an oblong form, a structural configuration that influences the plant's surface-area-to-volume ratio and subsequent photosynthetic efficiency. These leaves demonstrate a significant range in dimensions, with lengths varying from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 7.5 cm, and widths spanning from 0.8 cm to 5 cm. Unlike many desert-adapted species, this plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating that it lacks specialized water-storing parenchyma tissue within its leaves, which suggests a physiological reliance on consistent moisture availability or different mechanisms for water conservation.

Leaf form :

oblong

Leaf length max:

7.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.8 cm

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Salvia coccineae is characterized by a distinct flowering period that typically commences in July and extends through September. During this reproductive phase, the plant produces vibrant red flowers that vary significantly in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.6 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm. Following successful pollination, the plant develops small fruits that reach a maximum length of 0.25 cm. The resulting seeds are exceptionally fine, with a mean mass of 0.000915 g, falling within a specific range between a minimum of 0.00083 g and a maximum of 0.001 g. Regarding the movement of its progeny, the species exhibits an anthropochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning its seeds are often spread through human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

red

Flower length max:

3.5 cm

Flower length min:

0.6 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

0.25 cm

Seed mass max:

0.001 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000915 g

Seed mass min:

0.00083 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Salvia coccinea has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include BETA-SITOSTEROL, Betulin, beta-sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, betulinic acid, squalene.

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Natural product communications

Betulin

1. Natural product communications

beta-sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside

1. Natural product communications

betulinic acid

1. Natural product communications

squalene

1. Natural product communications

Activities

Salvia coccinea has 4 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antiasthmatic, Antitumor.

Antioxidant

1. Acta histochemica
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Analgesic

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Antiasthmatic

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Antitumor

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Conditions

Salvia coccinea has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemic effect, insulin resistance, oxidative stress.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Acta histochemica

Hypoglycemic effect

1. Food science & nutrition

Insulin resistance

1. Food science & nutrition

Oxidative stress

1. Food science & nutrition

Preparations

Salvia coccinea has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extracts.

Methanol extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences