spinach plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• spinash
• spinach

Scientific Names

Accepted name

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 Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Amaranthaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Spinacia, which encompasses the species Spinacia oleracea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is well-documented in Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden. Moving toward the center of the continent, the species can also be found throughout Middle Europe. Specifically, it is known to inhabit the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Consequently, its geographical range spans from the northern coastal reaches to the central European landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Spinacia oleracea is characterized by its presence within anthropic areas (Área Antrópica), reflecting its close association with human-disturbed environments and cultivated landscapes. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, thriving across diverse topographic gradients. Its elevational range begins at a minimum of 800 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 1600 m AMSL, with a calculated mean elevation of 2600 m AMSL, indicating its ability to adapt to varying atmospheric pressures and thermal conditions found within these specific highland ecological niches.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

800 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Spinacia oleracea is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire biological cycle—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its life form is strategically adapted to survive unfavorable conditions by existing primarily as a seed during periods of environmental stress, with the mature plant structure dying off after reproduction. This lifecycle allows the species to rapidly exploit favorable soil and climatic conditions to maximize biomass and reproductive output before the onset of senescence.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Spinacia oleracea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. The plant is a terrestrial species, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. It exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit, meaning it does not require external structures for support, and maintains an erect shoot orientation. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of 0.375 m, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum height of 0.25 m to a maximum height of 0.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.375 m

Plant height min:

0.25 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Spinacia oleracea is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. Its morphological physiological traits include an oblong leaf form, which influences the surface area available for gas exchange and light interception. As a non-carnivorous organism, it relies entirely on its root system and soil nutrients for mineral acquisition rather than capturing prey. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 321.3 cm²/g, a metric that reflects its leaf thickness relative to its mass and plays a critical role in its metabolic efficiency and resource allocation strategies.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

oblong

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

321.3 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Spinacia oleracea is characterized by a flowering period that typically commences in May and concludes in September. During this cycle, the plant produces inflorescences in the form of a panicle. The reproductive process involves self-fertilization, which is present in the species. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit classified as an achene, which is indehiscent in nature and reaches a maximum length of approximately 1 cm. The resulting seeds exhibit a mean mass of 0.00825175 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.0032 g to a maximum of 0.0148 g. Regarding seed dispersal, the plant utilizes an unspecialized dispersal syndrome, though it is also noted for anthropochorous dispersal, indicating movement facilitated by human activity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Inflorescence :

panicle

Seed mass max:

0.0148 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00825175 g

Seed mass min:

0.0032 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Spinacia oleracea has 1 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Current drug discovery technologies
2. International journal of microbiology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Natural product research

Chemicals

Spinacia oleracea has 203 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CHLOROPHYLL, Carotenoids, Flavonoids, IRON, quercetin.

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedical materials (Bristol, England)
3. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics
4. FEBS letters

Carotenoids

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Current drug discovery technologies
3. Voprosy pitaniia
4. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Current drug discovery technologies
3. Journal of hazardous materials
4. Natural product research

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of clinical nutrition
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry
3. Voprosy pitaniia

Lutein

1. Dr. Duke
2. Critical reviews in biotechnology

Paracetamol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of hazardous materials

Patuletin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research

Spinacetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of clinical nutrition

Activities

Spinacia oleracea has 682 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Cytoprotective, Hypoglycemic, Laxative.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules
3. Current drug discovery technologies
4. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Cytoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Laxative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug discovery technologies

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Spinacia oleracea has 29 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include appetite, Alzheimer's disease, Aspergillus flavus, DNA damage, back pain.

Appetite

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Complementary therapies in medicine

Alzheimer's disease

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Aspergillus flavus

1. International journal of microbiology

Dna damage

1. International journal of biological macromolecules

Back pain

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Breast cancer

1. Biomedical materials (Bristol, England)

Cancer

1. Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Voprosy pitaniia

Cataract

1. Critical reviews in biotechnology

Chronic fatigue syndrome

1. Voprosy pitaniia

Preparations

Spinacia oleracea has 7 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include SOE, Spinacia oleracea extract (SOE), aqueous and organic extracts of leaves, extract, extracts.

Soe

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Spinacia oleracea extract (soe)

1. Food & function

Aqueous and organic extracts of leaves

1. International journal of microbiology

Extract

1. Biomedical materials (Bristol, England)

Extracts

1. International journal of biological macromolecules

Methanolic leaf extract

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Water-soluble polysaccharides

1. International journal of biological macromolecules