Greek Mountain Tea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Greek Mountain Tea
• Ironwort
• Mountain Tea
• Mursalski Tea
• Pirinski Tea
• Shepherd's Tea
• Greek mountain-tea
• mountain-tea
• shepard's-tea

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Navicularia scardica
• Sideritis scardica subsp. longibracteata
• Sideritis raeseri subsp. florida
• Sideritis florida

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Sideritis scardica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is situated within the genus Sideritis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found across the diverse landscapes of Southeastern Europe. Within this region, it is frequently documented growing in Bulgaria. Its natural habitat also extends into the mountainous and coastal areas of Greece. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout the Northwestern Balkan Peninsula. These specific territories define the core geographical range for Sideritis scardica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Sideritis scardica is characterized by its classification as a perennial herb with a specific growth habit defined by its survival strategy in rugged environments. According to its botanical life form traits, the plant functions as a chamaephyte, a designation that indicates its perennating buds are located close to the soil surface, often just above it. This life form is further detailed through its structural classification as a chamaephyte, distinguishing it from other growth strategies such as phanerophytes or therophytes. This positioning allows the plant to withstand seasonal fluctuations and harsh climatic conditions, maintaining its regenerative capacity near the ground level to ensure successful seasonal cycles.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Morphology

The morphology of Sideritis scardica is characterized by a growth habit that is primarily terrestrial, as it does not exhibit aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies. The plant functions as a self-supporting species, lacking the structural mechanisms to act as an obligatory or facultative climber. Furthermore, it is an independent organism that does not operate as a parasite, and it lacks any epiphytic characteristics, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence rather than growing on other plants.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Sideritis scardica has 41 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Sesquiterpenes, apigenin, 1-Nonen-3-ol, ANETHOLE.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Frontiers in nutrition

Sesquiterpenes

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

apigenin

1. Planta medica
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

1-Nonen-3-ol

1. Dr. Duke

ANETHOLE

1. Dr. Duke

BENZYL BENZOATE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-FARNESENE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-IONONE

1. Dr. Duke

CARVONE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Sideritis scardica has 194 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Gastroprotective, ACE-Inhibitor, Abortifacient.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Planta medica

Gastroprotective

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Planta medica

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Sideritis scardica has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, COVID-19, E. coli, adiposity, anemia.

Inflammation

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Planta medica

Covid-19

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

E. coli

1. BMC chemistry

Adiposity

1. Planta medica

Anemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anxiety disorders

1. Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

1. Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)

Bronchial asthma

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Bronchitis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Planta medica

Preparations

Sideritis scardica has 9 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include NADES extracts, aqueous extract, choline chloride-glucose 5:2 plus 30% water, choline chloride-glycerol 1:2, citric acid-1,2-propanediol 1:4.

Nades extracts

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Aqueous extract

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Choline chloride-glucose 5:2 plus 30% water

1. BMC chemistry

Choline chloride-glycerol 1:2

1. BMC chemistry

Citric acid-1,2-propanediol 1:4

1. BMC chemistry

Eight distinct solvent fractions

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Extract

1. Planta medica

Herbal teas

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Infusion

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)