Selaginella willdenowii
Selaginella willdenowii, commonly known as the resurrection plant, is a remarkable lycopod celebrated for its ability to survive extreme desiccation. This resilient species undergoes physiological dormancy during droughts, reviving instantly upon hydration. Beyond its biological wonder, it holds significant potential in pharmacological research for developing protective cellular treatments.
- Scientific name: Selaginella willdenowii
- Family: Selaginellaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Lycopodiidae. It is further classified under the order Selaginellales and the family Selaginellaceae. Ultimately, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Selaginella.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Lycopodiidae | WCVP |
| Order | Selaginellales | WCVP |
| Family | Selaginellaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Selaginella | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Selaginella willdenowii, is known by several common names depending on the linguistic context. In Chinese, it is referred to as 藤卷柏 (zh), specifically as 藤卷柏 in Mainland China (zh-cn), and as 藤捲柏 in Taiwan (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 藤卷柏 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 藤卷柏 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 藤捲柏 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several key regions in Asia. Within China, it can be found throughout the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its distribution extends into the Indian Subcontinent, specifically within the borders of Bangladesh. Furthermore, the species is present in the Indo-China region, encompassing both the Andaman Islands and Cambodia. Collectively, these locations highlight the widespread occurrence of this medicinal species across diverse habitats.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Selaginella willdenowii, is commonly known as the resurrection plant due to its remarkable ability to survive extreme dehydration. The primary morphological feature of this species is its small, scale-like leaves, which are arranged in a dense, overlapping fashion along the stems. These leaves play a crucial role in the plant's survival mechanism; when water becomes scarce, the leaves curl tightly inward to protect the delicate tissues from desiccation, and they unfurl once again when moisture is reintroduced, restoring the plant's lush, green appearance.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Selaginella willdenowii has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include amentoflavone, bilobetin, isocryptomerin, robustaflavone.
- Total chemicals
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| amentoflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bilobetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isocryptomerin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| robustaflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Selaginella willdenowii has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Selaginella willdenowii has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |