Indian pokeweed

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Indian pokeweed
Indian pokeweed (Phytolacca acinosa) - fruit cluster

Indian pokeweed ( Phytolacca acinosa ) - fruit cluster

Systematics
Nuclear eudicotyledons
Order : Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family : Pokeweed family (Phytolaccaceae)
Subfamily : Phytolaccoideae
Genre : Pokeweed ( Phytolacca )
Type : Indian pokeweed
Scientific name
Phytolacca acinosa
Roxb.
Indian pokeweed in flower

The Indian pokeweed ( Phytolacca acinosa ), also called edible pokeweed , Asia pokeweed or Asian pokeweed referred to, is a plant from the genus of pokeweed ( Phytolacca ). It comes from Southeast Asia .

description

The Indian pokeweed grows as a perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of over 1 meter. From a beet-like thickened root tuber emerges a light green to violet stem, which branches out strongly. The green, oblong-oval leaves are up to 26 cm long.

During the flowering period between June and August, the small, whitish flowers appear in terminal, racemose inflorescences . The berries are chambered and colored reddish purple-violet to black. The inflorescence and fruit stand upright.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 18.

pharmacology

Indian pokeweed is potentially poisonous. It contains the triterpene - saponin Phytolaccagenin , but on a much lower concentration than about the American pokeweed ( Phytolacca americana ). It is concentrated in the root and in the seeds. The latter also contain betanin and iso-betanin , which gives them a reddish tint. Further triterpenes can be found in the leaves and various proteins can be detected in all parts of the plant . According to Chinese reports, Phytolacca acinosa is psychoactive. A numbing effect cannot be ruled out.

Ethnobotany

Ancient Chinese reports show that the plant was found in China between 1000 and 500 BC. Was known and used as a medicinal and food plant. Young leaves are used as vegetables, seeds as snail remedies. The root ( Radix Phytolaccae ) was used as a substitute for the black deadly nightshade ( Atropa bella-donna ) for intoxication purposes, and also as an additive in the preparation of sake . In traditional Chinese medicine , pokeweed is used to treat tumors, edema and bronchial complaints, in Tibet for painful injuries.

Occurrence

The Indian pokeweed is widespread in Southeast Asia in China , Japan , North and South Korea and India . It is also found in Bhutan , Myanmar and Vietnam . In Europe it is used as an ornamental plant and is occasionally found overgrown in vineyards and gardens, spread by birds. It grows in Central Europe in societies of the associations Arction and Alliarion.

In Austria it occurs in the federal states of Burgenland , Vienna , Lower Austria , Upper Austria and Styria and inconsistently in Carinthia and Salzburg . It is naturalized in the Pannonian region .

Systematics

Phytolacca acinosa was first described by the Scottish botanist William Roxburgh . Synonyms for Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. are: Phytolacca decandra L. var. acinosa , Phytolacca esculenta Van Houtte .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Lutz Roth, Max Daunderer , Kurt Kormann: Poison Plants - Plant Poisons, 6th Edition, NIKOL Verlag, ISBN 978-3-86820-009-6 .
  2. ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . 8th edition. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 . Page 355.
  3. ↑ a b c Poison Plants.com: Phytolacca acinosa
  4. ^ Manfred A. Fischer, Karl Oswald, Wolfgang Adler: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 3rd, improved edition. Province of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2008, ISBN 978-3-85474-187-9 , p. 368 .

literature

  • Andreas Alberts, Peter Mullen: Psychoactive plants, mushrooms and animals , Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-440-10749-3 .

Web links

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