''Elephantopus'' is a genus of

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

plants in the

daisy family The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

(

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

). The genus is widespread over much of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, southern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern po ...

, and at least one is native to

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

and the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over ...

.Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil . Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Uses

Elephantopus scaber ''Elephantopus scaber'' is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to tropical Africa, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. It has become naturalized in tropical Africa a ...

'' is a

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before th ...

and other species, including '' E. mollis'' and '' E. carolinianus'', have also been investigated for medicinal properties. ''

'' contains

elephantopin Elephantopin is a natural chemical compound extracted from the '' Elephantopus elatus'' plant of the genus ''Elephantopus'', family ''Compositae''. It is a sesquiterpene lactone with a germacranolide Germacranolides are a group of natural chemica ...

which is a

germacranolide Germacranolides are a group of natural chemical compounds classified as sesquiterpene lactone Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids that contain a lactone ring. They are most often found in plants of the family Asteraceae ( ...

sesquiterpene lactone Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids that contain a lactone ring. They are most often found in plants of the family Asteraceae (daisies, asters). Other plant families with SLs are Umbelliferae (celery, parsley, carrots ...

containing two

lactone Lactones are cyclic carboxylic esters, containing a 1-oxacycloalkan-2-one structure (), or analogues having unsaturation or heteroatoms replacing one or more carbon atoms of the ring. Lactones are formed by intramolecular esterification of the co ...

rings and an

epoxide In organic chemistry, an epoxide is a cyclic ether () with a three-atom ring. This ring approximates an equilateral triangle, which makes it strained, and hence highly reactive, more so than other ethers. They are produced on a large scale ...

functional group.

Species

; Accepted species * '' Elephantopus angolensis'' O.Hoffm. -

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

* ''

Elephantopus arenarius ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Britton & P.Wilson ex Britton -

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

* ''

Elephantopus arenosus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Krasch. -

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

* ''

Elephantopus biflorus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' (Less.) Sch.Bip. -

* '' Elephantopus carolinianus'' Raeusch.- southeastern + south-central

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

;

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

* ''

Elephantopus dilatatus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the Asteraceae, daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, ...

'' Gleason - Costa Rica,

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

* ''

Elephantopus elatus ''Elephantopus elatus'', common name tall elephantsfoot, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States from eastern Louisiana to South Carolina. ''Elephantopus elatus ...

'' Bertol. - southeastern

* ''

Elephantopus elongatus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at le ...

'' Gardner-

* '' Elephantopus hirtiflorus'' DC. -

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

* '' Elephantopus mendoncae'' Philipson -

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

* '' Elephantopus micropappus'' Less.-

* ''

Elephantopus mollis ''Elephantopus mollis'', common names tobacco weed, and soft elephantsfoot, is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. ''Elephantopus mollis'' is native to South America as far south as Jujuy Province in Argentina, as ...

'' Kunth native to

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived ...

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...

; widely naturalized in tropics of

, Australia, various islands * '' Elephantopus multisetus'' O.Hoffm. ex T.Durand & De Wild. -

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

Zaire Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

* ''

Elephantopus nudatus ''Elephantopus nudatus'', common name smooth elephantsfoot, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States from eastern Texas to Delaware. ''Elephantopus nudatus'' is a per ...

'' A.Gray - southeastern + south-central

, east

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...

* ''

Elephantopus nudicaulis ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Poir. -

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

* ''

Elephantopus palustris ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the Asteraceae, daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, ...

'' Gardner -

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

* '' Elephantopus piauiensis'' R.Barros & Semir -

* ''

Elephantopus pratensis ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at le ...

'' C.Wright -

* ''

Elephantopus racemosus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at le ...

'' Gardner-

* '' Elephantopus riparius'' Gardner-

* ''

'' L.- China,

southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

, northern Australia; naturalized in

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

* ''

Elephantopus senegalensis ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' (Klatt) Oliv. & Hiern- tropical

* '' Elephantopus tomentosus'' L. - southern United States * '' Elephantopus vernonioides'' S. Moore -

* ''

Elephantopus virgatus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Desv. ex Ham. - Guyana * '' Elephantopus welwitschii'' Hiern -

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5359423 Asteraceae genera Vernonieae