Sigesbeckia | |
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Sigesbeckia serrata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
Tribe: | Millerieae |
Subtribe: | Milleriinae |
Genus: | Sigesbeckia L. 1753 not J.G.Gleditsch 1764 |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Sigesbeckia is a genus of annual plants in the family Asteraceae. [2] [3] St. Paul's wort is a common name for some of the species. [4] Sigesbeckia is widely distributed and has been traditionally used for the management of chronic diseases, including arthritis.
Sigesbeckia is named for a botanist Johann Georg Siegesbeck, who was a strong critic of Carl Linnaeus's botanic classification system. He was known to refer to it as "loathsome harlotry" because of the focus of the system upon the presence of (or lack of) sex organs in plants and their locations and groupings. [5] Siegesbeck tried to refute Linnaeus' sexual classification system, but was unable to provide sound scholastic arguments to support his arguments. Linnaeus proposed in Critica Botanica that there should be a link between the plant and the botanist after whom it was named. Considering the feud between Siegesbeck and Linnaeus, it is not unsurprising that in the classification book Hortus Cliffortianus , Linnaeus named a pungent weed Sigesbeckia.
Sigesbeckia is related to a group of South American plants variously known as subtribe Espeletiinae or the Espeletia complex, which include genera such as Axiniphyllum , Espeletia , Polymnia , Smallanthus , Rumfordia , Trigonospermum , and Unxia . [6] [7]
Some African Sigesbeckia species were transferred, at least by some authors, to Guizotia . [8]
Three species of Sigesbeckia are used in traditional medicine: Sigesbeckia orientalis, Sigesbeckia pubescens, and Sigesbeckia glabracens, although the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, only recognizes two species, with Sigesbeckia pubescens considered a subspecies of Sigesbeckia orientalis. In traditional medicine, the aerial parts of the plant are used to treat rheumatic conditions such as arthritis, joint pain, muscle pain, sciatica. It is also used to treat hypertension. Use of Sigesbeckia as a traditional medicine dates back to at least 659 AD, when it was first referenced in Chinese materia medica. The traditional Chinese medicine is called xi xian cao, and is used to "dispel wind-dampness, to strengthen sinews, and for wind-heat-damp pain obstructions".
Gentianales is an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid clade of eudicots. It comprises more than 20,000 species in about 1,200 genera in 5 families. More than 80% of the species in this order belong to the family Rubiaceae.
Echinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. It has ten species, which are commonly called coneflowers. They are found only in eastern and central North America, where they grow in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming in summer. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἐχῖνος, meaning "sea urchin", due to the spiny central disk. These flowering plants and their parts have different uses. Some species are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers. Two of the species, E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata, are listed in the United States as endangered species.
Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas. They are mostly native to North America, including Mexico; a few species are native to South America and Eurasia. Some American species have also been introduced into Europe and other parts of the world.
Ichthyothere is a genus of flowering plants, found in parts of South America and Central America.
Artemisia is a large, diverse genus of plants with between 200 and 400 species belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. Common names for various species in the genus include mugwort, wormwood, and sagebrush.
The Heliantheae are the third-largest tribe in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). With some 190 genera and nearly 2500 recognized species, only the tribes Senecioneae and Astereae are larger. The name is derived from the genus Helianthus, which is Greek for sun flower. Most genera and species are found in North America and South America. A few genera are pantropical.
Eupatorium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, containing from 36 to 60 species depending on the classification system. Most are herbaceous perennials growing to 0.5–3 m (1.6–9.8 ft) tall. A few are shrubs. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most are commonly called bonesets, thoroughworts or snakeroots in North America. The genus is named for Mithridates Eupator, king of Pontus.
Eupatorieae is a tribe of over 2000 species of plants in the family Asteraceae. Most of the species are native to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate areas of the Americas, but some are found elsewhere. Well-known members are Stevia rebaudiana, a number of medicinal plants (Eupatorium), and a variety of late summer to autumn blooming garden flowers, including Ageratum (flossflower), Conoclinium (mistflower), and Liatris.
Pseudocydonia sinensis or Chinese quince is a deciduous or semi-evergreen tree in the family Rosaceae, native to southern and eastern China. It is the sole species in the genus Pseudocydonia. Its hard, astringent fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a food in East Asia. Trees are generally 10–18 metres (33–59 ft) tall.
Ambrosia trifida, the giant ragweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.
Heliophila is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae. Members of this genus are either annuals or perennials and some are popular as ornamental plants. Endemic to southern Africa, the majority of the approximately 80 species grow in South Africa, particularly the Cape Floristic Region, while a few extend into the Namib Desert.
Ligusticum is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Its name is believed to derive from the Italian region of Liguria.
Guizotia is a genus of African herbs in the family Asteraceae. They are often known as sunflecks. The species Guizotia abyssinica is occasionally found outside of cultivation in Europe, North America and Asia.
Helichrysum luteoalbum, the Jersey cudweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Millerieae is a tribe of flowering plants belonging to the Asteroideae subfamily. Of all the genera, only Galinsoga, Guizotia, and Sigesbeckia have species native to the Old World.
Tetragonotheca is a genus of North American plants in the family Asteraceae. Nerveray is a common name for plants in this genus.
Trigonospermum is a genus of Mesoamerican plants in the family Asteraceae.
Sclerocarpus is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae. Bonebract is a common name for plants in this genus.
Sigesbeckia orientalis, commonly known as Indian weed or common St. Paul's wort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is a small, upright, sparsely branched shrub with yellow flowers and widespread in Asia, Africa and Australia.
Zandera is a genus of annual plants in the family Asteraceae.
Media related to Sigesbeckia at Wikimedia Commons