Arnebia densiflora

Arnebia densiflora, (also called Macrotomia cephalotes) is a plant species belonging to the family Boraginaceae. It is native to Greece and Turkey. Arnebia densiflora has been investigated for its wound-healing abilities.

Arnebia densiflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Arnebia
Species:
A. densiflora
Binomial name
Arnebia densiflora
(Ledeb. ex Nordm.) Ledeb.

Description

Small clump-forming from a robust, somewhat woody rootstock with erect, hispid, unbranched stems 25-40cm high. Basal leaves linear elliptic to narrowly lanceolate, 10-15cm long with stalks to 4cm; stem leaves smaller and sessile, velvety-hairy. Flowers are yellow, 3.5-4.5cm long by 1.2-1.6cm across densely planted on the ends of stems and branches. It flowers from early to late summer. All aerial parts are pubescent.[1]

Habitat

Arnebia densiflora prefers mountain areas and places with dry and sunny rocky soils. It is native to Greece and Turkey on volcanic or limestone slopes and cliffs at 750-2600m.[1]

Medicinal use

Arnebia densiflora has been investigated for its wound healing abilities. [2]

Arnebia densiflora is one of the five species of Boraginaceae family grown in Turkey.[2] Several species of Boraginaceous plants are used as folk medicine in Turkey and eastern Mediterranean countries.[2]

The pigmented root of Arnebia densiflora, known locally as ‘Eyilik,’ is added to olive oil and applied on open wounds and cuts in Anatolia. [2]

In Malatya, roots of Arnebia densiflora are dipped in butter.[2] After removing the root pieces the butter is mixed with beeswax to prepare an ointment for open wounds.[2] Roots of Arnebia densiflora are also used as a natural-dye to color Anatolian carpets.[2]

The medicinal effect might have to do with the high naphthoquinone content in the roots barks.[2]

Taxonomy

Arnebia densiflora was first described by Carl Friedrich von Ledebour.[3]

It was first published in Flora Rossica Enumeratio sive Plantarum in Totivs Imperii Rossici Provinciis europaeis, Asiaticis, et americanis Hucusque Observatarum 3 (1.8): 140. 1847 [1]

Etymology

Arnebia : generic name derived from the Arabic name shajaret el arneb .

densiflora : Latin epithet that means "dense of flowers".[4]

Synonyms
  • Lithospermum densiflorum Ledeb.
  • Macrotomia cephalotes (A. DC.) Boiss.
  • Macrotomia densiflora (Ledeb.) McBride[5]

References
  1. "Tropicos".
  2. Akkol, Esra Küpeli; Koca, Ufuk; Peşin, Ipek; Yılmazer, Demet; Toker, Gülnur; Yeşilada, Erdem (2009). "Exploring the wound healing activity of Arnebia densiflora (Nordm.) Ledeb. by in vivo models". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 124 (1): 137–141. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.03.019. PMID 19500923.
  3. "Catalogue of Life: 2014 Annual Checklist".
  4. "Dictionary of Botanical Epithets".
  5. "The Plant List".


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