Plumbago zeylanica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Genus: Plumbago
Species:
P. zeylanica
Binomial name
Plumbago zeylanica
Synonyms[1]

Plumbago scandens L.

Plumbago zeylanica, commonly known as Ceylon leadwort, doctorbush[2] or wild leadwort,[3] is a species of plumbago with a pantropical distribution. Carl Linnaeus described the paleotropical P. zeylanica and Neotropical P. scandens as separate species, but they are currently considered synonymous.

Description

Plumbago zeylanica is a herbaceous plant with glabrous stems that are climbing, prostrate, or erect. The leaves are petiolate or sessile and have ovate, lance-elliptic, or spatulate to oblanceolate blades that measure 5-9 × 2.5–4 cm in length. Bases are attenuate while apexes are acute, acuminate, or obtuse. Inflorescences are 3–15 cm in length and have glandular, viscid rachises. Bracts are lanceolate and 3-7 × 1–2 mm long. The heterostylous flowers have white corollas 17–33 mm in diameter and tubes 12.5–28 mm in length. Capsules are 7.5–8 mm long and contain are reddish brown to dark brown seeds.[1]

Distribution and habitat

Plumbago zeylanica grows throughout the tropical and sub-tropical climates of the world, including Australia and India. In Australia, it grows in the understory of monsoon forests and vine thickets from sea level to 900 m.[4] In Dhofar, Oman, this species is often found growing on Olea trunks.[5]

Ecology

Plumbago zeylanica is a food plant for the Cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), marine blue (L. marina), and zebra blue (L. plinius) during their larval stages.[4][6][7]

Traditional medicine

Early folk medicine used the crushed plant internally and externally as an abortifacient.[5] In Ayurveda, P. zeylanica is known as chitrak, meaning "the spotted one". It is used with other herbs to lessen its intense pungency.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Plumbago zeylanica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 151. 1753". Flora of North America. eFloras.org. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  2. ↑ "Plumbago zeylanica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  3. ↑ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Plumbago zeylanica". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Plumbago zeylanica". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. 1 2 G., Miller, Anthony (1988). Plants of Dhofar, the Southern Region of Oman: Traditional, Economic, and Medicinal Uses. Morris, Miranda., Stuart-Smith, Susanna., Oman. Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment. Muscat: Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman. p. 232. ISBN 0715708082. OCLC 20798112.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "Butterfly Larvae & Host Plants" (PDF). Xerces Society. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  7. ↑ "Featured Plants Spring 2016" (PDF). Desert Survivors. February 2016. p. 3.
  8. ↑ Pole, Sebastian. Ayurvedic Medicine: The Principles of Traditional Practice. Singing Dragon, 2013. p156.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.