| Class: | angiosperms |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Papaveraceae |
| Genus: | Chelidonium |
| Scientific name: | Chelidonium majus L. |
| Name acc. to: | Gubanov 1996 |
| Herbar: | list records    |
| Description: | Robust profusely branched perennial with orange yellow milk sap. Leaves pinnatipartite, beneath glaucescent, segments rather broad, orbicular to broad-oblong. Flower dark yellow,
2 - 3 cm diam. in terminal umbellate inflorescences. Capsule silicular, seeds black with white appendages. |
| Tax. Comments: | Widely distributed, well-defined species. |
| Link to Flora of China: | http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=2&name_str=Chelidonium+majus |
| open map in a new window |  |
| Habitat: | Larch forests, birch groves, waterside shrubberies, shady foot of rocks and screes, bottom of creek valleys (Grubov 2001). |
| Habit (i)general appearance of a plant | |
| Growth form: (i)Herb, shrub, tree or climber. | herb (i)Herbaceous, erect plant, up to 2m high, mostly with a leafy shoot; if perennial, shoots die to the ground each season, shoots are not woody
example: Artemisia pectinata   inherited by family Papaveraceae: herb
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| Smell & Touch: (i)General appearance of the plant. | abundant milky juice (latex) (i)Shoots and often leaves contain white or yellowish latex
example: Asclepiadaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lactuca tatarica inherited by family Papaveraceae: abundant milky juice (latex)
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| Size of plant: (i)Attention: use flowering or fruiting specimens to assess plant height (many biennial plants possess only a basal rosette in the first year). | from 250 mm to 600 mm
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| Parasite status: (i)Is the plant a half- or full parasite? | no parasite/saprophyte (i)Plant fully autonomous, leaves with chlorophyll
example: Most plants, Ranunculus inherited by family Papaveraceae: no parasite/saprophyte
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| Water or terrestrial plant: (i)Where do the plants grow? | terrestrial (i)Plant grows on dry land
example: Orostachys spinosa inherited by family Papaveraceae: terrestrial
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| Leaf (i)expanded, usually photosynthetic organ of a plant (including phylloclades) | |
| Leaf development: (i)Structure and development of leaves. | with green leaves (i)Plant with green leaves inherited by family Papaveraceae: with green leaves
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| Leaf arrangement: (i)Arrangement of leaves at the stem. | alternate (i)One leaf per node; distiche: arranged in two vertical rows, equitant
example: Phragmites   inherited by genus Chelidonium: alternate
basal rosette (i)Leaves positioned at the base of the stem; stem often without leaves, no visible internodes (but flowers often on erect stems, and these may have few leaves)
example: Limonium, Potentilla, Plantago; also used in Liliales with basaly crouwded leaves (Tofieldia, Zigadenus etc.)  inherited by genus Chelidonium: basal rosette
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| Simple or divided leaves: (i)Are the leaves simple or completely divided in several parts? Blade of the leaf entire or (more or less) deeply dissected. Attention: There are various appearances of the leaf margin (from entire to toothed and lobed). Here, we ignore this and ask only for dissections that separate the leaf for more than one third of its length or width, whatever is smaller. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell apart compound leaves from a shoot system with simple leaves: look for stipulae and/or axillary buds at the ground of the leaves: if only some possess these structures, the others are most likely leaflets of a compound leaf. | compound (i)Composed of several similar parts inherited by genus Chelidonium: compound
pinnate (i)With leaflets on both sides of an axis, at least 2 pairs or more
example: Onobrychis  inherited by genus Chelidonium: pinnate
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| Length of leaves: (i)How long is the leaf, be carefull in compound leaves, measure the complete leaf. | more than 50 mm inherited by genus Chelidonium:
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| Leaf margin: (i)Structure of leaf margin (or that of a leaflet in case of compound leaves). Attention: Here we ask for the leaf margin, defined as all those dissections that separate the leaf for less than one third of its length or width, whatever is smaller. To be worked out: how to handle margin of pinnate leaves? | lobed (i)Curved division, be aware of deeply lobed leaves than compare with palmatisected (character: leaf division)
example: Crataegus, Dryas, Rubus humulifolius  inherited by genus Chelidonium: lobed
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| Petiole: (i)Leaf divided into stalk (petiole) and blade. | with (i)Leaves with petiole (stalk)  inherited by genus Chelidonium: with
shorter than blade (i)Petiol shorter than leaf blade inherited by genus Chelidonium: shorter than blade
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| Leaf veination: (i)Arrangement of the main veins of a leaf. | pinnate (i)One main vein, several side veins, sometimes inconspicuous
example: Cicerbita    inherited by family Papaveraceae: pinnate
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| Flower (i)reproductive portion of the plant, consisting of sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils | |
| Flower appearance and pollination: (i)General appearance of the flower. | attractive, animal-pollinated (i)attractive and coloured flowers, mostly large, attracting surely animals
example: Trollius, Rosa, Chamaerhodos inherited by family Papaveraceae: attractive, animal-pollinated
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| Flower colour: (i)Attention: assess colour of the most colourful parts of the flower, but not of the stamens; be aware of single plants with a mutation (mostly white) on flower colour. | yellow to orange (i)Pale to golden yellow
example: Ranunculus, Crepis inherited by genus Chelidonium: yellow to orange
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| Perianth arrangement: (i)Attention: in some plants, flowers may be dimorphic in different ways (dioecious or gynodioecious). If flowers vary, record the characters of the most showy flowers. | double, different (i)Two types of perianth leaves, differently coloured (sepals: outer periant leaves, usually greenish, and petals: inner perianth leaves, usually coloured)
example: Parnassia   inherited by family Papaveraceae: double, different
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| Diameter of flower: (i)Diameter of flower or flower head. | from 10 mm to 20 mm (i)
example: Potentilla inherited by genus Chelidonium:
from 20 mm to 40 mm (i)
example: Aquilegia inherited by genus Chelidonium:
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| Flower symmetry: (i)Symmetry of the perianth leaves. Attention: to assess this character, look on sepals, petals and stamens, but neglect carpels and ovary. | radiary, regular (actinomorphic) (i)More than two axis of symmetry
example: Saxifraga: 5; Iris: 3  inherited by family Papaveraceae: radiary, regular (actinomorphic)
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| Flower form: (i)common forms of flowers ? Veronica | simple (flat) - Do not confuse with inflorescences as in some Asteraceae (i)Petals spread out, flower appearing flat
example: Mollugo, Trientalis, Pulsatilla, Saxifraga  inherited by family Papaveraceae: simple (flat) - Do not confuse with inflorescences as in some Asteraceae
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| Sepal number: (i)Number of sepal leaves (outer perianth leaves, calyx leaves, mostly greenish). Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! Be also aware in Rosaceae is often an epicalyx developed, in this case count all parts. | 2 (i)
example: Papaveraceae inherited by family Papaveraceae: 2
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| Sepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the sepal leaves connected? Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! | free (i)All leaves separate from each other
example: Geranium inherited by family Papaveraceae: free
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| Petal / Tepal number: (i)Number of petal leaves (inner perianth leaves, usually coloured). | 4 (i)
example: Galium inherited by genus Chelidonium: 4
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| Petal / Tepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the petal leaves connected? Petals sympetalous. | free (i)all petal leaves separate from each other
example: Anthriscus inherited by family Papaveraceae: free
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| Spur: (i)A hollow, slender, sac-like appendage of the perianth leaves, storing nectar. | no spur (i)Flower without appendage
example: Peganum inherited by family Papaveraceae: no spur
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| Stamen number: (i)Attention: We ask for the reproductive organs of the flower dispersing pollen. Count only fully fertile stamens, not staminodia (e.g. Parnassia). | > 10 (i)
example: Nymphaea, Callianthemum, Rosa inherited by family Papaveraceae: > 10
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| Stamen fusion: (i)To which degree are the stamens fused? Attention: Whereas the pollen sacs itself are often free., their stalks (filaments) may be fused. Here, we count them as fused if they are together over at least one thirth of their length. | free (i)Stamens with separate bases
example: Malus inherited by family Papaveraceae: free
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| Pistil number: (i)Number of pistils (female floral organs: style, if developed; stigma and carpels/ovary together build the pistil). | 1 (i)One carpel, but clearly one stigma
example: Pyrola, Primula, Alyssum inherited by family Papaveraceae: 1
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| Carpel number: (i)Number of carpels (carpel: forming a simple pistil or part of a compound pistil, modified leaf). | 2 inherited by genus Chelidonium: 2
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| Ovary position: (i)For entirely or partly fused carpels, describe their position in relation to the insertion point of perianth leaves (best done by doing a longitudinal section of a flower). | superior (hypogynous) (i)Base of carpels attached above insertion point of perianth leaves, carpels free or fused
example: Delphinium, Anemone   inherited by order Ranunculales: superior (hypogynous)
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| Sex: (i)Distribution of male and female organs among flowers, only most commonly cases. | bisexual, hermaphrodite (i)All or nearly all flowers of a plant with male and female parts
example: Haplophyllum, Chenopodium inherited by family Papaveraceae: bisexual, hermaphrodite
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| Inflorescence (i)flowering part of a plant, describes the arrangement of the flowers on the flowering axis | |
| Inflorescence: (i)Structure of the inflorescence. | Flowers in inflorescence (i)No solitary flowers inherited by genus Chelidonium: Flowers in inflorescence
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| Appearance: (i)Outer look of the inflorescence. | axillary (i)Usually several inflorescences in axillary shoots or single flowers in leaf axils, main shoot remains mostly leafy
example: Tragopogon, Aconogonon inherited by genus Chelidonium: axillary
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| Inflorescence type: (i)Types of inflorescence. Attention: We here ask for the botanical nomenclature of inflorescences, which is sufficiently complicated. Tick only, if you are certain, or tick all inflorescence types that appear similar of these of the plant in question. | umbel (i)Flowers on short to long, leafless stalks emerging from one point
example: Allium  inherited by genus Chelidonium: umbel
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| Fruit (i)the seed bearing organ, with or without adnate parts; a ripened ovary and any other structures which are attached and ripen with it. Aggregate fruits are handled like simple fruits for determination. | |
| Consistency: (i)Fleshy fruits or dry fruits, see dispersal adaptations for further classification. | dry (i)With a dry outer shell, no fleshy parts, but seed (embryo) could be edible inherited by family Papaveraceae: dry
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| Type of fruit: (i)Common fruit types (including pseudocarp). | Solitary fruits (i)    inherited by genus Chelidonium: Solitary fruits
Dehiscent fruits (i)Fruits open along a longitudinale line (except silicula) inherited by genus Chelidonium: Dehiscent fruits
silique (i)Dry fruit, opening with two valves and a separating wall inbetween
example: Brassicaceae, Hypecoum   inherited by genus Chelidonium: silique
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| Opening of fruit: (i)Mode of dehiscence at maturity to release seeds. | opening along dehiscent line (i)Opening along a preformed line
example: Vicia, Lathyrus: pods inherited by genus Chelidonium: opening along dehiscent line
opening with valves (i)Capsules, siliqua, pods or follicles; opening with two or more dehiscent lines and split off outer parts as valves
example: Alyssum, Arabis: siliqua, Epilobium: four-valved capsule, Arenaria: capsule with three valves.    inherited by genus Chelidonium: opening with valves
opening / dehiscent (i)Dry? Fruits opening with different types inherited by family Papaveraceae: opening / dehiscent inherited by genus Chelidonium: opening / dehiscent
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| Size of fruit: (i)Size of the fruit including appendage. | more than 10 mm (i)
example: Malus: wild apple inherited by genus Chelidonium:
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| Seed number: (i)Estimate the number of seeds per fruit, if recognizable seeds are in the fruit (in rare cases a fruit may contain one seeded nuts: rose hip, carex). | 7-50 (i)Numerable, but may be counted
example: Vaccinum: multi-seeded berry, Ptilotrichum: few-seeded siliqua inherited by genus Chelidonium: 7-50
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| Hairs | |
| Has hairs?: | has hairs inherited by family Papaveraceae: has hairs
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| Hairs: (i)Appearance, structure, coverage of hairs on plant. | on leaf (i)Hairs on upper side, lower side or on margin of leaf inherited by genus Chelidonium: on leaf
leaf lower side inherited by genus Chelidonium: leaf lower side
appearance: soft (i)Hairs very flexible and soft, lay down at a touch
example: Saussurea inherited by genus Chelidonium: appearance: soft
on stem/shoot (i)Has hairs on stem/shoot inherited by genus Chelidonium: on stem/shoot
structure: simple (i)Not branched
example: Chelidonium majus inherited by genus Chelidonium: structure: simple
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| Root / shoot below ground (i)plant part below ground (in most cases), including below ground shoots, without leaves | |
| Root type: (i)Organisation of the roots. | allorhizous (i)Plant with a conspicuous tap root, one larger tap root with side roots
example: Dicotyledonae inherited by order Ranunculales: allorhizous
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| Distribution (i)region where the plant is likely to be found | |
| Distribution (Veg. Zones): (i)acc. to Grubov 1952 | Khentei (i)In distribution data often named as '2' 
Khangai (i)In distribution data often named as '3' 
Mongol-Daurian (i)In distribution data often named as '4' 
Great Khingan (i)In distribution data often named as '5' 
Mongolian Altai (i)In distribution data often named as '7' 
East Mongolia (i)In distribution data often named as '9' 
acc. to: Gubanov 1996 |
| Distribution Khangay: (i)acc. Flora Khangaya 1989 | I
IV
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| Plant Use | |
| Medical Plant Use: (i)Only if plant is used as medical plant | Parts used: herb (i)Parts of Plants used in medicine
Ingredients: alkaloids (chelidonine,coptisine,sanguinarine,chelerythrin,protopine,berberine,sparteine),saponins,flavonoids (quercetin,kaempferol), vitamins C and A, organic acids (malic,citrin,amberic),phosphate,calcium,ammonium,magnesium,essential oil,enzymes,etc. (i)Medically effective ingredients
Use: Preparations obtained from the herb possess antipyretic (in cases of infectious diseases),sedative, antitussive for chronic bronchitis and whooping cough, antihydropic,narcotic,coryzide,diuretic,cholagogic properties,gastrointestinal spasm and are used as an antidote and biliary deobstruent in the treatmend of fevers conditioned by infectious diseases, thyphoid fever, wounds,chronic gastritis, mucous diarrhea,liver diseases,bilious ailment, liver cirrhotic ascites and also they are externally applied to furuncle,carbuncle,insect bites,itch,lichenification,condiloma,wart,papilloma of the larynx,first form of lupus etc. (i)Medical use in eastern and western medicine
acc. to: Ligaa et al 2009; Huang 1999 |
| General Use: | medical plant
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