Beesia

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Beesia
Beesiadeltophylla.jpg
Beesia deltophylla
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Subfamily: Ranunculoideae
Tribe: Cimicifugeae
Genus: Beesia
Balf.f. & W.W.Sm.
Species [1]

Beesia is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family. It was named in 1915 [2] after the plant nursery firm Bees of Chester, who financed the plant hunting trips of George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward in China. [3]

Contents

Species

There are two species of Beesia: [1]

Description

Morphology

Beesia is an evergreen perennial and grows as a dense basal rosette of heart-shaped leaves with delicate serrated edges. Leaves are soft and waxy; new growth of B. deltophylla flushes dark green to black, while B. calthifolia is a lighter shade of green. Small white flowers bloom mid-summer off an upright spike. Flowers are star-like: although Beesia flowers do not have petals, [7] they do have 5 elliptic, petal-like sepals. [8] Flowers also have many stamens. [8]

Phytochemistry

A class of organic molecules termed beesiosides have been isolated from Beesia plants. [9] [10] Beesiosides are cycloartane glycosides (a type of triterpene that forms a sugar and a non-sugar upon hydrolysis). [9] [11] [12]

Phylogeny

Anemonopsis , a monotypic genus in the Ranunculaceae native to Japan, [13] is a sister group to Beesia. [14] [15] Eranthis and Actaea are also closely related to Beesia. [16]

Uses

Ornamental

Beesia is easily divided or grown from seed, and can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 6a to 8b. It grows best in partial shade or filtered light in rich, moist soil.

Medicinal

Beesia rhizomes are used in Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and influenza. [8]

Related Research Articles

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References

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  3. Roy Lancaster Travels in China: A Plantsman's Paradise
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