Nomenclature

Species name:

Author(s):

;
   

Common names:

Maltese name:

Plant Family:

  ( Family)

Name Derivation:

= Unknown derivation. It is a genus formed by Cassini which now groups 12 species
= Named after Paolo Boccone (1633-1703), an Italian monk and physician (Latin).

Synonyms:

No Main Synonyms

Remarks:

-

Morphology

Specifications & Description

Life Cycle:

Growth Form:

Soon to be updated...

Habitat:

Frequency:

Undetermined

Localities in Malta:

Plant Height:

Flowering Period:

Protection in Malta:

Not Protected by Law (LN200/2011 or LN311/2006)

Red List 1989:

Not listed in the Flora section of the National Red Data Book (Lanfranco, 1989)

Poison:

This herbaceous plant is seen in arid, rocky habitats, in the middle or late Summer as a small bush. The plant consist of numerous branches radiating away from a common multi-branching main stem at ground level. These individual branches do not branch again except at the upper part for the formation of flowering stems. The stem is woody or reddish brown, snaps easily, and covered with short fine hair.

Leaves are found mostly along the sub-branches which gradually die and fall from the lower part towards the top. The alternate, sessile leaves are oblanceolate, covered with very short glandular hair and have an entire outline. There is one large leaf at the stem (15-25mm long) and from its axil a cluster of 6-10 alternately arranged leaves grows up. These leaves are much smaller (10mm or less) but similar shape to the main one.

At the top of each branch there is the flowering part, which consists of few flowers (4-12) arranged as a corymb (or sometimes cymose panicles) where the apical bud flowers first, and subsequent lower buds develop next. The corymb inflorescence is not flat topped, but on the other hand they are not distant from each other either.

Each flower basically consists of a group of yellow, rayless disc florets enclosed in a green cylindrical involucre. Their is about 50-80 disc florets closely packed to each other, where the ones at the periphery open first, and flowering moves progressively to the centre. The floret produce a long style, which protrudes out by 5-6mm from the tiny, star-shaped petalled tube. There are 5 fused stamens around the long style which subdives into 2 curly stigma at its apex.

The involucre is made up from numerous long phyllaries (about 25-40) which their pointed tip is bent out. They are not spiny and completely green. During the flower phase, these phyllaries remain upright and tight together forming a barrel shaped involucre, but at the fruiting phase, they become loose and subtends slightly outwards.

The fruit actually consists of a collection of single achenes (each developed from a disc floret) which are grouped together on a common receptacle. The achene consists of a linear seed, 3mm long and greyish brown in colour, with a pappus on top. The pappus, which helps in seed dispersal by wind, is un-beaked, simple (unbranched) and have a beige to straw colour. The seed possess fine hairs mostly at its lower part.

The plant is visited by many bees and wasps, and the leaves emit a strong, pleasant aromatic scent, similar to incense.

Information and Details

Nativity and Distribution

Chiliadenus bocconei is described as one of the 24 endemic plants in Malta.   [WWW-97] This endemic plant amongst other endemics are relics from the pre-glacial Mediterranean flora (these are called palaeoendemics) and have no close relatives anywhere else in the world.   [WWW-98] A similar species (Chiliadenus lopadusanos) is also found in Lampeduse, also described as an endemic for this Mediterranean island.   [WWW-99]

Use as a herbal tea

This plant (or as mentioned in the original context by its synonym name - Jasonia glutinosa) is used extensively in Spain precisely in the territories of the old Crown of Aragón to make a herbal tea known as the Aragon Tea or Rock Tea. It is described to have a pleasant alcanforado aroma, with a little bitter flavour. The parts used are the flowering parts of the branches.   [WWW-95]

The preparation is done as follows: Make an infusion of the plant using 20 to 40 grs in 1 liter of water. Up to 5 cups per day can be taken after the meals.   [WWW-95]

Properties and indications:

Its composition is not well well-known, although it is known that it contains neither theine nor caffein. It has an essence that grant digestive properties, as well as abundant tannins that justify their use like anti-diarretic.   [WWW-95]

Medicinal Properties

Digestive problems: Popularly it is used in cases of shyness, slow and heavy, diarreas indigestion, digestions and intestinal fermentations or rottings.   [WWW-95] It is also described as Stomachic   [WWW-66]

Nervous problems: It also shows an tonifying action, free of irritant effects on the nervous system, as it happens with the coffee or common tea.   [WWW-95]

Pharmacology - in vitro anti-inflammatory activity

Sesquiterpenes from Jasonia glutinosa: in vitro anti-inflammatory activity

Four sesquiterpenes isolated from Jasonia glutinosa (Asteraceae), namely lucinone, glutinone, 5-epi-kutdtriol and kutdtriol, have been evaluated for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in cellular systems generating cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) metabolites. None of the compounds assayed had a significant effect on leukotriene C4 (LTC4)-release from calcium ionophore-stimulated mouse peritoneal cells. However, the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by mouse peritoneal cells stimulated with calcium ionophore was inhibited by these compounds, although with less potency than the reference drug indomethacin (IC50=0.24 microM). The IC50 values of the active compounds were: lucinone 42.69 microM, glutinone 3.61 microM, 5-epi-kutdtriol 1.28 microM and kutdtriol 39 microM. Of the tested compounds, only glutinone (IC50=24 microM) showed a significant effect on thromboxane B2 (TXB2)-release induced by calcium ionophore in human platelets, although with less potency than the reference drug ibuprofen (IC50=1.27 microM).   [333]

Pharmacology - Terpenes with leishmanicidal acitivity

Two species belonging to the Asteraceae family that contain terpenes with leishmanicidal activity are Vernonia brachycalyx and Jasonia glutinosa. The major antiprotozoal metabolite of V. brachycalyx has been identified as the sesquiterpene dilactone 16,17-dihydrobrachycalyoxide, which shows activity (IC50 17 µg ml1) against the promastigote forms of L. major. However, at this same concentration, inhibits the proliferation of human lymphocytes, suggesting that its antiprotozoal activity is due to its general toxicity and that its administration could suppress the immune mechanism in humans.62 On the other hand, kudtriol, a sesquiterpene alcohol obtained from the aerial parts of J. glutinosa, has shown toxic activity against promastigotes of L. donovani at a concentration of 250 µg ml1, and it is proposed that the presence of a C-5 hydroxy group in the a orientation is essential for the expression of its leishmanicidal activity.   [334] (Read the full document found in the links section of this page)

Personal Observations

Maltese coin
The 50 cents Maltese coin depicts this plant on one of its sides.   [SM]

Common insect visitors of this plant
During my photography session on this plant, I frequently noticed a black and white striped wasp feeding on the nectar of the flower. One could easily see about 2 or 3 wasps hovering or feeding on a medium sized plant. Once they are on a flower, they spend at least one minute upon until they hover to the next.   [SM]

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