Callisia fragrans

Callisia fragrans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Commelinales
Family:	Commelinaceae
Genus:	Callisia
Species:	C. fragrans
Binomial name
	Callisia fragrans; (Lindl.) Woodson
Synonyms[1][2]
	Spironema orthandrum Lindb.; Rectanthera fragrans (Lindl.) O. Deg.; Spironema fragrans Lindl.;

Callisia fragrans, commonly known as the basket plant, chain plant or inch plant, is a species of the genus Callisia, in the family Commelinaceae.[1]

Description

Close-up of inflorescence, showing the small, white, fragrant flowers

The fleshy stem of the herb grows to a height of 1 metre. 25-centimetre-long leaves become violet if exposed to strong sunlight. Blossoms are white and fragrant.[3][4]

Range and cultivation

The Basket plant is endemic to Mexico, and naturalized in the West Indies, scattered locations in the United States, and a few other places.[2][5] It has been cultivated in many countries as an indoor ornamental since the early 1900s.[6] However, it can be also found growing outdoors in warmer climates in moist, fertile soil. The herb likes partially shaded areas.

Medicinal properties

It has a rich folkloric reputation as an antiviral and antimicrobial plant. Especially in Eastern Europe, its leaves are used for treatment of various skin diseases, burns and joint disorders.[6] An ethanol leaf extract has been shown to effectively inhibit the infection of Vero cells by HSV-1, HSV-2 and an ACV-resistant strain of the latter, in vitro. The ethanol leaf extract, as opposed to an aquatic extract, was however ineffective against VZV.[6] Though the ethanol leaf extract had a lower selectivity index (toxicity vs. effectiveness) than ACV, it was able to inhibit the HSV-2 mutant, and may be less toxic than ACV. Direct interaction with the viruses and blocking of their access to the host cells seems to be involved.[6]

References

"Plants database". United States Department of Agriculture.
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Klaus Kubitzki; H. Huber; P.J. Rudall; P.S. Stevens (1998). Flowering Plants. Monocotyledons: Alismatanae and Commelinanae (except Gramineae). p. 89. ISBN 3-540-64061-4.
"POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL WEEDS IN AUSTRALIA" (PDF). NATIONAL WEEDS PROGRAM. Queensland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
"Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Plant Growth Facilities". University of Connecticut.
Yarmolinsky, Ludmila; Zaccai, Michele; Ben-Shabat, Shimon; Huleihel, Mahmoud (4 June 2010). "Anti-Herpetic Activity of Callissia fragrans and Simmondsia chinensis Leaf Extracts In Vitro". The Open Virology Journal. 4 (1): 57–62. doi:10.2174/1874357901004010057. PMC 2918872. PMID 20700398.

External links

Media related to Callisia fragrans at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Callisia fragrans at Wikispecies

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[plants.usda-1] "Plants database". United States Department of Agriculture.

[n-2] Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families

[3] Klaus Kubitzki; H. Huber; P.J. Rudall; P.S. Stevens (1998). Flowering Plants. Monocotyledons: Alismatanae and Commelinanae (except Gramineae). p. 89. ISBN 3-540-64061-4.

[4] "POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL WEEDS IN AUSTRALIA" (PDF). NATIONAL WEEDS PROGRAM. Queensland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2011-05-16.

[5] "Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Plant Growth Facilities". University of Connecticut.

[yar-6] Yarmolinsky, Ludmila; Zaccai, Michele; Ben-Shabat, Shimon; Huleihel, Mahmoud (4 June 2010). "Anti-Herpetic Activity of Callissia fragrans and Simmondsia chinensis Leaf Extracts In Vitro". The Open Virology Journal. 4 (1): 57–62. doi:10.2174/1874357901004010057. PMC 2918872. PMID 20700398.