Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

Ethnobotany and Experimental Pharmacology of Echinodorus Grandiflorus
Figure 2. Echinodorus grandiflorus: general aspect of inflorescence holding flowers in anthesis.
Photo: PIMENTA, D.S.
E. grandiflorus is popularly known as ―chá-mineiro‖, ―erva-de-pântano‖, ―erva-debugre‖,
―congonha-do-brejo‖, ―erva-do-brejo‖, ―chá de campanha‖, and, most commonly,
―chapéu de couro‖ (CORRÊA, 1984, CORRÊA JÚNIOR et al., 1994, MARTINS et al.,
1994, LEITE, 1995).
Geographical Distribution
Alismataceae consists of 11 aquatic and semi-aquatic genera and about 75 species.
Echinodorus and Sagittaria are among the largest genera in the family, each with 26 and 25
species, respectively. Other genera consist of less than 10 species each (TANAKA, 2000).
The genus Echinodorus occurs in USA to Argentina and is restricted to the western
hemisphere (BEVILAQUA et al., 2001). According to Joly (1991), Echinodorus has its
center of dispersion in Tropical America.
Haynes and Nielsen (1994) recorded the following species: E. grandiflorus ssp.
grandiflorus (center-west, southeast and south of Brazil, Paraguay, north of Argentina and
Uruguay, flowering and fruiting from October to May), E. grandiflorus ssp. aureus (Cuba,
Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil, flowering and fruiting year
round), E. macrophyllus ssp. macrophyllus (Guyana, western Brazil and Bolivia, flowering
from October to April) and E. macrophyllus ssp. scaber (southern Nicaragua, Colombia,
Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, southern Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil, flowering and fruiting
year round).
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