Saussurea obvallata
Saussurea obvallata, commonly known as Brahma Kamal, is a magnificent medicinal herb found in the high-altitude Himalayas. Renowned for its sacred status and striking blue-rimmed bracts, this rare plant holds significant value in Ayurveda. It is traditionally utilized for its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and various healing therapeutic properties.
- Scientific name: Saussurea obvallata
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Saussurea, where its species designation is obvallata.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Saussurea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Saussurea obvallata, is highly revered in various cultures and carries distinct names across different languages. In Hindi, it is famously called ब्रह्म कमल, while in Gujarati, it is referred to as બ્રહ્મકમળ. In Chinese, the plant is known as 苞叶雪莲 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), 苞葉雪蓮 in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and 苞葉雪蓮 in the Hong Kong usage (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hi | ब्रह्म कमल | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 苞叶雪莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 苞葉雪蓮 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 苞葉雪蓮 | Wikidata |
| gu | બ્રહ્મકમળ | Wikidata |
| te | బ్రహ్మ కమలం | Wikidata |
| bn | ব্রহ্ম কমল | Wikidata |
| kn | ಸೋಸೂರಿಯಾ ಆಬ್ವ್ಯಾಲೇಟಾ | Wikidata |
| zh | 苞叶雪莲 | Wikidata |
| ml | ബ്രഹ്മകമലം | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various high-altitude regions of Asia. In China, it can be found growing in the South-Central areas as well as within the Qinghai province. Its presence is also well-documented throughout the Tibet region. Within the Indian Subcontinent, the species inhabits the state of Assam. Additionally, it is widely distributed across the East Himalaya range.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Qinghai | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Nepal | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | West Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
Chemicals
Saussurea obvallata has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include fatty acids, flavonoids, squalene, terpenoids.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fatty acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| squalene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Saussurea obvallata has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, analgesia.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Bacillus cereus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacillus subtilis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| radiation protection | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |