Serpukha is a genus of plants that has numerous species and a wide range. The use of a long-known popular drug is not limited to its melliferous and medicinal properties. Crowned Serpukha - a species with rich potential. Its properties are still being actively studied and continue to amaze and delight specialists. An unpretentious perennial plant looks like a generous gift, wrapped in far from elegant and not even the most remarkable packaging.
Serpukha - a large genus of the astrov family
Almost seventy species are perennial plants belonging to the genus Serpukha (emphasis falls on the letter "y"). An alternative classification suggests the allocation of most of the bottom in a separate genus - Klasea. With this consideration of the issue, the number of varieties of sickles is reduced to twenty.
The “Plant List” (Plant List - a joint British-American encyclopedic Internet project) contains, as of September 2016, the database contains information on forty species of sickles.
Wild plants by their nature differ in appearance and properties. Often the weedy honey thistle are mistakenly ranked among them. The reason for this is the outward resemblance. However, plants belonging to the same family belong to different genera. Thistle is a separate genus of Asteraceae, referred to by scientists as Carduus L., which includes about one hundred and thirty species. Serpukhs belong to the genus Serratula L., a dye variety is considered a type species. However, among others, there is still a thistle - Serratula cardunkulus.
The appearance of the plant
Crowned Serpukha has a strong horizontal rhizome and many roots resembling cords. The stem is erect, bare, has nodes and grooves, in the upper part it is divided into numerous branches. The plant can reach various sizes, depending on the growing conditions. You can find a photo of the crowned serpukha, barely noticeable among the tall grass - the total length reaches 35-40 centimeters, as well as powerful shoots that have grown to a level of one and a half meters above the ground.
Leaves grow up to 3-12 centimeters in length and 1-5 in width. Placed in the basal and lower zone of the stem have long petioles. Those above can be characterized as having no petiole, glabrous, sequentially located. On them you can observe rare hairs. The color is green or reddish. There is a lower part of a bluish-colored leaf plate. The leaves take the form of an ellipse or oblong, dissected unpaired (one segment at the top of the leaf) and pinnately. Fractions of the leaf are ovoid or ovoid-lanceolate.
Flower baskets are located on the tops of the main stem and the ends of the side shoots. Partially combined into corymbose inflorescences. They are considered relatively large, similar in shape to an egg. Peduncles (flower stems) are well defined.
The flowers of serpukha are crowned bisexual, of various tones of lilac and purple colors. Some, located at the edges, can only be female, have stamens in the degree of underdevelopment, or be characterized by their complete absence. The corolla usually reaches a length of 20-27 millimeters. The tube is about 15. The column is equipped with a pair of linear blades with grooves and slightly exceeds the corolla.
Crowned serpent produces oblong bare fruit - achenes with bristles of different lengths forming a multi-rowed tuft, they are thin-grooved, painted in brown tones. Ripen in August-September.
Place and time
The genus Serpukha is found in non-tropical zones of the Eurasian continent and North Africa. Crowned serpukha is not widespread everywhere, despite the fact that the range is wide - it can be found in Central Asia and the Far East, Siberia, the south of the European part of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. It grows in meadows, in the steppes, settles in forest edges, swamps, dry rocky slopes. The plant blooms from July to August inclusive. It is cultivated and grows independently in the wild.
Crowned Serpukha - honey plant
Plant productivity from this point of view is excellent in different regions. With continuous growth, the Siberian crowned serpukha brings about a centner of honey from one hectare. The finished product has a golden color with a greenish tint, a pleasant aroma and harmonious taste. The plant is one of the late summer honey plants, valuable not only for productivity, but also for stability.
Application in biotechnology
Crowned Serpukha, its composition and effect on the human body continues to be aggressively studied. Many useful properties have already been highlighted, despite the incomplete study of the issue. From the fruits of crowned sickles, biomass with a high lipid content is obtained - a little less than 33%. This gives reason to attribute it to valuable oily types of plant materials.
Of particular interest is the content of phytoecdysones - natural chemical compounds with hormone activity responsible for the process of molting of insects and metamorphoses in arthropods. Studied from the end of the last century, they still have not fully revealed their role in the life of plants. Medicines made on their basis are prescribed in the preoperative periods and during recovery after serious surgical interventions.
Among phytoecdysteroids of the aerial parts of the plant, the content of 20-hydroxyecdysone was revealed. It has a tonic effect, increases resistance to stress, strengthens the immune system, increases adaptive abilities and restores cell membranes, their properties and structure.
Practical studies have confirmed the effectiveness of the substance in the fight against tuberculosis, gastric ulcer, serious liver pathologies (hepatitis, cirrhosis), and developing muscular dystrophy. Effectively the use of radiation sickness, reduced tissue ability to recover after receiving wounds and burns and many other various pathological changes.
International studies have proven the ability of substances in the plant to inhibit the growth of sarcoma cells. Pharmacists predict a bright future for research - one of the results should be the creation of steroid herbal medicines that have the effectiveness of synthetic analogues and are safe for human health.
Powder of grass is already made from crowned sickles, its use is carried out independently and in combination with preparations from safflower levzea, containing almost three times more excellent ecdysterones. The combination and mutual complement of plants enhances their positive effect.
The normalization of high blood pressure was also noted as one of the types of effects of crowned sickle on the human body. The plant has an antispasmodic effect, helps relieve headaches. The chemical composition of the plant is still not well understood. It is known that it contains flavonoid apiin, traces of alkaloids, ascorbic acid.
Crowned sickle in folk medicine
The plant has an official Latin name - Serratula coronata L. Folk names are more numerous, diverse and colorful - these are hare legs and bear fingers. Serpukha is called cow tongue and dope. She is a gorodilka and an icicle, greenery, bloom-serpukha. The plant is also called the Christ rib.
In folk medicine, an infusion of herbs is used as a remedy for jaundice and diarrhea. His or a decoction of rhizomes is used to rinse the cavity with inflammation of the pharynx, larynx, tonsils. The latter is also taken for diarrhea, pain in the abdomen and pelvis, gonorrhea.
The infusion of a combination of grass and flower baskets is considered effective for anemia, fever, hernias. It is used to stop vomiting and reduce the severity of jaundice (as a choleretic agent). Used for hemorrhoids and oncology.
Herbal infusion has a positive effect in case of neurological disorders - epilepsy, neurosis, paralysis, mental pathologies. Known for wound healing properties. It is used as an external agent for damaged tissues, festering wounds.