| Vismia baccifera | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conservation status | |
 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Hypericaceae |
| Genus: | Vismia |
| Species: | V. baccifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Vismia baccifera (L.) Triana & Planch. | |
| Subspecies | |
| Synonyms | |
| Species subsp. baccifera subsp. dealbata | |
Vismia baccifera is a species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae. The species is a shrub or small tree that is native to Latin America that is found in wet tropical areas.
Description
Vismia baccifera has shorter and larger leaves than V. guianensis. It has ovate leaves which are membranous and covered in a whitish layer on the underside.
Taxonomy
Vismia baccifera was first described by Carl Linnaeus as Hypericum bacciferum in 1771, but was moved into the genus Vismia by botanists José Jerónimo Triana and Jules Émile Planchon in 1863. There are two accepted subspecies of V. baccifera:
- Vismia baccifera subsp. baccifera (nominate subspecies)
- Vismia baccifera subsp. dealbata (Kunth) Ewan
Chemistry and uses
The leaves of Vismia baccifera contain various flavonoids, including epicatechin and quercetin. The species' essential oil profile is characterized by high amounts of sesquiterpenes. Vismia baccifera subsp. dealbata has been shown to contain the compounds sesamin, friedelin and vismiaquinone. V. baccifera is used in traditional medicine in parts of the Amazon rainforest as treatment for inflammations like uterine hemorrhage and leishmaniasis. A 2018 study by scientists from the University of the Basque Country demonstrated the ability of the species to kill liver tumor cells in a laboratory setting using aqueous extracts from its leaves.
References
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI); IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group; González-Espinosa, M; Sánchez-Velázquez, L.; Pineda-López, M. (2019). "Vismia baccifera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T136783476A136783478. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T136783476A136783478.en. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Vismia baccifera (L.) Triana & Planch.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- "Vismia baccifera subsp. baccifera". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- "Vismia baccifera subsp. dealbata (Kunth) Ewan". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- Triana & Planchon 1862, p. 301.
- "Hypericum bacciferum L.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- Trepiana, Ruiz-Larrea & Ruiz-Sanz 2018, p. 14.
- Rojas et al. 2010, p. 699.
- Trepiana, Ruiz-Larrea & Ruiz-Sanz 2018, p. 2.
- "Una planta amazonica podria tener capacidad antitumoral" [An Amazonian plant could have anti-tumor capacity]. Debate (in Spanish). 30 September 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
Bibliography
- Rojas, Janne; Buitrago, Alexis; Rojas, Luis; Morales, Antonio (2010). "Essential Oil Composition and Antibacteral Activity of Vismia baccifera Fruits Collected from Mérida, Venezuela". Natural Product Communications. 6 (5).
- Trepiana, Jenifer; Ruiz-Larrea, M.; Ruiz-Sanz, Jose (2018). "Unraveling the in vitro antitumor activity of Vismia baccifera against HepG2: role of hydrogen peroxide". Heliyon. 4 (6): e00675. Bibcode:2018Heliy...400675T. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00675. PMC 6039853. PMID 30003166.
- Triana, J.; Planchon, J.E. (1862). "Prodromus Florae Novo-Granatensis". Annales des sciences naturelles. Botanique. 4 (18).
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Vismia baccifera | |
| Hypericum bacciferum | |