Elephantopus
Genus of flowering plants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elephantopus is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae).[3][4][5]
| Elephantopus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Elephantopus scaber in India | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Vernonioideae |
| Tribe: | Vernonieae |
| Genus: | Elephantopus L. |
| Type species | |
| Elephantopus scaber | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas.[2] Several species are native to the southeastern United States,[6][7] and at least one is native to India and the Himalayas.[8][9][10]
Uses
Elephantopus scaber is a traditional medicine[11] and other species, including E. mollis[12] and E. carolinianus,[13] have also been investigated for medicinal properties. Elephantopus scaber contains elephantopin which is a germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone containing two lactone rings and an epoxide functional group.[14]
Etymology
The genus name Elephantopus comes from the Greek words "elephantos" (elephant) and "pous" (foot). The term likely refers to the large basal leaves of some members of the genus.[15]
Species
- Accepted species[2]
- Elephantopus angolensis O.Hoffm. - Angola
- Elephantopus arenarius Britton & P.Wilson ex Britton - Cuba
- Elephantopus arenosus Krasch. - Brazil
- Elephantopus biflorus (Less.) Sch.Bip. - Brazil
- Elephantopus carolinianus Raeusch.- southeastern + south-central United States; Cuba, Puerto Rico
- Elephantopus dilatatus Gleason - Costa Rica, Panama
- Elephantopus elatus Bertol. - southeastern United States
- Elephantopus elongatus Gardner- Brazil
- Elephantopus hirtiflorus DC. - Brazil, Venezuela
- Elephantopus mendoncae Philipson - Angola
- Elephantopus micropappus Less.- Brazil
- Elephantopus mollis Kunth native to Latin America + West Indies; widely naturalized in tropics of Africa, Asia, Australia, various islands
- Elephantopus multisetus O.Hoffm. ex T.Durand & De Wild. - Angola, Zaire, Tanzania
- Elephantopus nudatus A.Gray - southeastern + south-central United States, east Texas to Maryland
- Elephantopus nudicaulis Poir. - Mexico
- Elephantopus palustris Gardner - Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay
- Elephantopus piauiensis R.Barros & Semir - Brazil
- Elephantopus pratensis C.Wright - Cuba
- Elephantopus racemosus Gardner- Brazil
- Elephantopus riparius Gardner- Brazil
- Elephantopus scaber L.- China, India, southeast Asia, northern Australia; naturalized in Africa, Madagascar, Latin America
- Elephantopus senegalensis (Klatt) Oliv. & Hiern- tropical Africa
- Elephantopus tomentosus L. - southern United States
- Elephantopus vernonioides S. Moore - Africa
- Elephantopus virgatus Desv. ex Ham. - Guyana
- Elephantopus welwitschii Hiern - Africa
Formerly placed here
- Orthopappus angustifolius (Sw.) Gleason (as Elephantopus angustifolius Sw.)
