Khella

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Toothpick-plant
• bisnaga
• toothpickweed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Sium visnaga
• Selinum visnaga
• Apium visnaga
• Carum visnaga
• Daucus laevis
• Ammi dilatatum
• Ammi visnaga var. longibracteatum
• Daucus visnaga
• Ammi visnaga
• Ammi visnaga var. hybernonis
• Ammi visnaga var. paui
• Visnaga vera

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Apiales, it is further categorized into the family Apiaceae. Its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Visnaga, identified by the species name daucoides.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several different regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be noted within the borders of Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found in Belgium as well as across Germany. It also populates the central regions of Czechia and Slovakia. Finally, its range extends to Southwestern Europe, specifically within the Baleares.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Visnagaria daucoides is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1720 m AMSL. This species exhibits significant adaptability to varying topographical layers, allowing it to occupy diverse ecological niches within this vertical range. Notably, its habitat includes anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), indicating a capacity to persist and thrive in environments modified by human activity, such as disturbed lands or agricultural margins, alongside more natural landscapes.

Elevational range max:

1720 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Visnaga daucoides is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological progression from germination to seed production within a single growing season. In terms of its structural classification, it is categorized as a therophyte, a life form defined by its strategy of surviving unfavorable conditions as seeds rather than maintaining persistent vegetative structures above ground. This specific life form ensures that the plant can rapidly colonize suitable habitats during favorable periods before returning to a dormant seed state.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Visnagaria daucoides is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. The plant exhibits a self-supporting habit rather than acting as a climber or vine, and it maintains an erect shoot orientation. It is a terrestrial species, functioning as an independent organism rather than an epiphyte or a parasite. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a height of approximately 1 meter, with its growth ranging from a minimum of 0.4 meters to a maximum of 1 meter.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Visnaga daucocides is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Its foliage is defined by an elliptic leaf form, with dimensions that vary significantly across the species. The leaves typically range in length from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, maintaining a mean length of 2.5 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width demonstrates a wide breadth, spanning from a minimum of 0.04 cm to a maximum of 5.5 cm.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

5.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.04 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Visnaga daucoides is characterized by a strictly sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent. The plant features bisexual flowers that are white in color and organized into an umbel inflorescence. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in July. Pollination is driven by biotic factors, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome. Following successful pollination, the plant produces small fruits with a mean length of 0.225 cm (ranging from 0.16 cm to 0.25 cm) and a mean width of 0.15 cm (varying between 0.12 cm and 0.15 cm). These fruits are highly prolific, containing more than 1,000 seeds per fruit. The seeds are very lightweight, with a mean mass of approximately 0.000715 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.0005 g to a maximum of 0.001 g. Self-fertilization is noted as absent, ensuring genetic diversity through its dispersal syndrome, which is classified as zoochorous, specifically via epizoochory.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

0.25 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.225 cm

Fruit length min:

0.16 cm

Fruit width max:

0.15 cm

Fruit width min:

0.12 cm

Inflorescence :

umbel

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.001 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000714939333333333 g

Seed mass min:

5e-04 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Visnaga daucoides has 4 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf, flower.

Fruit

1. Planta medica
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Journal of chromatography. A

Seed

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Natural product research

Leaf

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Natural product research

Flower

1. Natural product research

Chemicals

Visnaga daucoides has 83 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Visnagin, khellin, furanochromones, Khellol, Visnadin.

Visnagin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Molecular biotechnology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Pharmacognosy research

khellin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Molecular biotechnology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Pharmacognosy research

furanochromones

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of chromatography. A
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Khellol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular biotechnology

Visnadin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

5,7-Dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone

1. Dr. Duke

Ammiol

1. Dr. Duke

Anthocyanidin

1. Dr. Duke

Arachidic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Astragalin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Visnaga daucoides has 374 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antihistaminic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecular biotechnology

Antifungal

1. Molecular biotechnology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihistaminic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. La Clinica terapeutica

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Preparations