Bloodroot

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bloodroot
• puccoon-root
• red puccoon
• Puccoon
• bloodwort
• redroot
• tetterwort

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Belharnosia canadensis
• Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex
• Belharnosia mesochora
• Sanguinaria canadensis var. multiplex
• Sanguinaria acaulis
• Sanguinaria grandiflora
• Sanguinaria dilleniana
• Sanguinaria canadensis var. rotundifolia
• Sanguinaria australis
• Sanguinaria mesochora
• Sanguinaria virginiana
• Sanguinaria rotundifolia

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Sanguinaria canadensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Ranunculales. Finally, it is classified under the family Papaveraceae and the genus Sanguinaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide range of habitats across several Canadian provinces. In Western Canada, its presence is specifically noted in Manitoba. Moving toward the east, it can be found throughout Ontario and Québec. The distribution continues further east into the Atlantic provinces, including New Brunswick. Finally, its range extends to the coastal province of Nova Scotia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Sanguinaria canadensis is characterized by its status as a perennial herb, meaning it lives for multiple years and typically undergoes a period of dormancy during the winter months. As a spring ephemeral, its life cycle is tightly synchronized with the early spring season, where it rapidly emerges from its rhizomatous root system to utilize the sunlight available before the forest canopy fully closes. The plant's development begins with the emergence of a single, deeply lobed basal leaf and a solitary, showy white flower that blooms shortly after emergence. Following successful pollination, the plant transitions into its reproductive phase, producing small, fleshy red fruits that contain numerous seeds. These seeds are often dispersed by ants through a process known as myrmecochory, facilitated by elaiosomes attached to the seed coat. Once the flowering and fruiting stages are complete, the above-ground foliage senesces, and the plant retreats into its underground rhizome to store nutrients, ensuring its survival and readiness for regrowth in the subsequent growing season.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Sanguinaria canadensis is characterized by its growth form as a herbaceous forb, functioning as a non-woody plant that lacks woody stems. It is a terrestrial species, growing in soil rather than in aquatic or semiaquatic environments, and it does not exhibit any epiphytic tendencies. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite, relying on its own metabolic processes. Furthermore, the plant is entirely self-supporting in its structure, lacking any climbing, vine, or liana-like characteristics, which allows it to maintain its upright stature within its natural habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Sanguinaria canadensis is characterized by a specialized metabolic framework designed to support its perennial life cycle in temperate forest understories. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common mechanism in shade-tolerant forest flora where carbon fixation occurs via the Calvin cycle without the temporal or spatial separation seen in C4 or CAM species. This C3 pathway allows the plant to efficiently capture light in low-light environments, though it necessitates careful management of transpiration and gas exchange. Beyond carbon fixation, its physiological profile is defined by a complex secondary metabolism, most notably the synthesis and sequestration of isoquinoline alkaloids, such as sanguinarine, within its rhizomatous tissues. These alkaloids serve as potent chemical defense mechanisms against herbivory and microbial pathogens. The plant's seasonal physiological rhythm is tightly linked to its environment, involving a rapid period of vegetative growth and nutrient uptake during the spring, followed by a period of dormancy where metabolic activity is significantly reduced to survive winter conditions.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Sanguinaria canadensis is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering window and specialized seed dispersal mechanisms. The plant typically begins its flowering period in March and concludes in April, though the exact timing can be variable. Following pollination, the plant produces seeds that exhibit a relatively small mass, with a mean weight of approximately 0.011505 g. The individual seed sizes vary within a specific range, with a minimum mass of 0.00726 g and a maximum mass of 0.01569 g. Regarding the movement of its progeny, the species utilizes a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning its seeds are primarily dispersed by animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Mar

Flowering time :

Apr

Seed mass max:

0.01569 g

Seed mass mean:

0.011505 g

Seed mass min:

0.00726 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Sanguinaria canadensis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome.

Rhizome

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Advances in experimental medicine and biology
3. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Sanguinaria canadensis has 33 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include SANGUINARINE, chelerythrine, Chelirubine, Chelilutine, Sanguilutine.

SANGUINARINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of dermatology
3. Advances in experimental medicine and biology
4. Journal of natural products
5. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

chelerythrine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Planta medica
5. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Chelirubine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Chelilutine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Sanguilutine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Sanguirubine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Allocryptopine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Benzophenanthridine alkaloid

1. Journal of natural products
2. Phytochemistry

protopine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Benzophenanthridine

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Activities

Sanguinaria canadensis has 183 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, (+)-Inotropic, 12-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, Abortifacient.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

12-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenolytic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Amebicide

1. Dr. Duke

Amphicholeretic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Sanguinaria canadensis has 14 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include moles, skin cancer, skin cancers, actinic keratoses, asthma.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations