Anacyclus pyrethrum

Anacyclus pyrethrum (pellitory, Spanish chamomile, or Mount Atlas daisy or Akarkara) is a perennial herb much like chamomile in habitat and appearance. It is in a different family (Asteraceae) from the plants known as pellitory-of-the-wall (Parietaria officinalis) and spreading pellitory (Parietaria judaica).

Anacyclus pyrethrum
Mount Atlas daisy
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Anacyclus
Species:
A. pyrethrum
Binomial name
Anacyclus pyrethrum
Synonyms

Anthemis pyrethrum L.
Anacyclus depressus Ball
Anacyclus freynii Willk.
Anacyclus officinarum Hayne
Sources: E+M,[2] AFPD[3]

It is found in North Africa, elsewhere in the Mediterranean region, in the Himalayas, in North India, the Levant and in certain regions in the Arabian peninsula.[4]

Uses

It is popular as a food spice. It induces heat, tingling, and redness when applied to the skin.

Although one might assume from the pyrethrum suffix that this plant may contain pyrethrins, it does not. The second part of the binomial name stems from the Ancient Greek name for the plant, πύρεθρον,[5] whereas the pyrethrins are named after Pyrethrum, used more recently for several plants of the genus Chrysanthemum, some of which do contain pyrethrins.[6]

Ayurveda (the ancient Indian medicine system) and Siddha (the medical system from Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India) have uses for this plant root and it has been used for centuries as a medicine. It is called Akkal-Kara in Hindi, Akkal Kadha in Marathi, and Akkarakaaram (Tamil: அக்கரகாரம்). An kind of oil is prepared by a method known as pit extraction (Tamil: குழி எண்ணெய்).

Extracts of Anacyclus pyrethrum have anabolic activity in mice and also increase testosterone in the animal model.[7][8]

Cultivation

Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (sometimes considered a separate species, Anacyclus depressus), called mat daisy or Mount Atlas daisy, is grown as a spring-blooming, low-water ornamental. It produces mats of grey-green, ferny foliage and single daisy-like white flowers. It is suitable for growing in an alpine or rock garden. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[9]

Distribution
Native
Palearctic
Northern Africa: Algeria, Morocco
Southwestern Europe: Spain

Sources: GRIN,[10] E+M,[2] AFPD[3]

gollark: You are, as ever, wrong.
gollark: Also Ethernet.
gollark: They can boot off USB as well as SD cards now, which is nice.
gollark: It doesn't allow my usual ridiculous subnet hackery.
gollark: It's easier but less interesting.

References
  1. Rankou, H.; Ouhammou, A.; Taleb, M.; Manzanilla, V. & Martin, G. (2015). "Anacyclus pyrethrum". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2015). doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T202924A53798702.en.
  2. Botanic Garden & Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem. "Details for: Anacyclus pyrethrum". Euro+Med PlantBase. Freie Universität Berlin. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  3. "Anthemis pyrethrum record n° 135636". African Plants Database. South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  4. Brickell, Christopher, ed. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781405332965.
  5. A Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell/Scott/Jones (LSJ), entry πύρεθρον.
  6. http://users.skynet.be/bertram.zambiafoundation/Afbeeldingen/Literature_revue_Pyrethrum_root.pdf
  7. "Scientia Pharmaceutica". Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2011-07-31.
  8. Sharma, Vikas; Boonen, Jente; Spiegeleer, Bart De; Dixit, V. K. (January 2013). "Androgenic and Spermatogenic Activity of Alkylamide-Rich Ethanol Solution Extract of DC". Phytotherapy Research. 27 (1): 99–106. doi:10.1002/ptr.4697. PMID 22473789.
  9. "RHS Plantfinder - Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  10. "Anacyclus pyrethrum". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2008-06-16.

Media related to Anacyclus pyrethrum at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Anacyclus pyrethrum at Wikispecies

  • Var. depressus
  • same plant, flower detail
  • Var. depressus, flowers closed
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.