Rubia Angustisissima
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''Rubia'' is the type
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of the
Rubiaceae Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole ( ...
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s, which also contains ''
Coffea ''Coffea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. ''Coffea'' species are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. The seeds of some species, called coffee beans, are used to flavor variou ...
'' (coffee). It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing
herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...
s and
subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is often interch ...
s native to the
Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...
. The genus and its best-known species are commonly known as madder, e.g. ''
Rubia tinctorum ''Rubia tinctorum'', the rose madder or common madder or dyer's madder, is a herbaceous perennial plant species belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family Rubiaceae. Description The common madder can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen ...
'' (common madder), ''
Rubia peregrina ''Rubia'' is the type genus of the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which also contains ''Coffea'' (coffee). It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and subshrubs native to the Old World. The genus and it ...
'' (wild madder), and ''
Rubia cordifolia ''Rubia cordifolia'', known as Indian madder, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It has been cultivated for a red pigment derived from roots. Description It can grow to 3.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are usu ...
'' (Indian madder).


Uses

''Rubia'' was an economically important source of a red pigment in many regions of Asia, Europe and Africa. The genus name ''Rubia'' derives from the Latin ' meaning "red". The plant's roots contain an
anthracene Anthracene is a solid polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) of formula C14H10, consisting of three fused benzene rings. It is a component of coal tar. Anthracene is used in the production of the red dye alizarin and other dyes, as a scintil ...
compound called
alizarin Alizarin (also known as 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone, Mordant Red 11, C.I. 58000, and Turkey Red) is an organic compound with formula that has been used throughout history as a red dye, principally for dyeing textile fabrics. Historically it wa ...
that gives its red colour to a textile
dye Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...
known as
Rose madder Rose madder (also known as madder) is a red paint made from the pigment madder lake, a traditional lake pigment extracted from the common madder plant '' Rubia tinctorum''. Madder lake contains two organic red dyes: alizarin and purpur ...
. It was also used as a
colourant A colourant/colour additive (British spelling) or colorant/color additive (American spelling) is a substance that is added or applied in order to change the colour of a material or surface. Colourants can be used for many purposes including printin ...
, especially for
paint Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...
, that is referred to as
Madder lake Alizarin (also known as 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone, Mordant Red 11, C.I. 58000, and Turkey Red) is an organic compound with formula that has been used throughout history as a red dye, principally for dyeing textile fabrics. Historically it wa ...
. The synthesis of
alizarin Alizarin (also known as 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone, Mordant Red 11, C.I. 58000, and Turkey Red) is an organic compound with formula that has been used throughout history as a red dye, principally for dyeing textile fabrics. Historically it wa ...
greatly reduced demand for the natural compound. In
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
and
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
, Rubia is used for dying
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
eggs red.


History

Several species, such as ''
Rubia tinctorum ''Rubia tinctorum'', the rose madder or common madder or dyer's madder, is a herbaceous perennial plant species belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family Rubiaceae. Description The common madder can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen ...
'' in Europe, ''
Rubia cordifolia ''Rubia cordifolia'', known as Indian madder, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It has been cultivated for a red pigment derived from roots. Description It can grow to 3.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are usu ...
'' in India, and ''
Rubia argyi ''Rubia argyi'' is a species of flowering plant of the family Rubiaceae. Its common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farm ...
'' in East Asia, were extensively cultivated from antiquity until the mid nineteenth century for red dye, commonly called ''madder''. Cloth dyed with it has been found on
Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...
mummies A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and Organ (biology), organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to Chemical substance, chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the ...
. It was the ''ereuthedanon'' () used for dyeing the cloaks of the
Libyan Demographics of Libya is the demography of Libya, specifically covering population density, ethnicity, and religious affiliations, as well as other aspects of the Libyan population. All figures are from the United Nations Demographic Yearbooks ...
women in the days of
Herodotus Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...
. It is the ''erythrodanon'' () of
Pedanius Dioscorides Pedanius Dioscorides (, ; 40–90 AD), "the father of pharmacognosy", was a Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author of (in the original , , both meaning "On Medical Material") , a 5-volume Greek encyclopedic pharmacopeia on he ...
, who wrote of its cultivation in
Caria Caria (; from Greek language, Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; ) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Carians were described by Herodotus as being Anatolian main ...
, and of
Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...
, and the ''Rubia'' of Pliny. ''R. tinctorum'' was extensively cultivated in south Europe,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, where it is called ''garance'', and the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, and to a small extent in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Large quantities were imported into
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
from Smyrna, Trieste, Livorno, etc. The cultivation, however, decreased after alizarin was made artificially. Madder was employed medicinally in ancient civilizations and in the Middle Ages. In his Natural History (Pliny), ''Natural History'', Pliny described it as a diuretic and is capable of treating jaundice and lichen planus. John Gerard, in 1597, wrote of it as having been cultivated in many gardens in his day, and describes its many supposed virtues, but any Pharmacology, pharmacological or Therapy, therapeutic action which madder may possess is unrecognizable. Its most remarkable Physiology, physiological effect was found to be that of colouring red the bones of animals fed upon it, as also the claws and beaks of birds. This appears to be due to the chemical affinity of calcium phosphate for the colouring matter.Pereira, ''Mat. Med.'', vol. ii. pt. 2, p. 52 This property was used to enable physiologists to ascertain the manner in which bones develop, and the functions of the various types of Cell (biology), cell found in growing bone.


Species

* ''Rubia agostinhoi'' Dans. & P.Silva * ''Rubia aitchisonii'' Deb & Malick * ''Rubia alaica'' Pachom. * ''Rubia alata'' Wall. * ''Rubia albicaulis'' Boiss. * ''Rubia angustisissima'' Wall. ex G.Don * ''
Rubia argyi ''Rubia argyi'' is a species of flowering plant of the family Rubiaceae. Its common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farm ...
'' (H.Lév. & Vaniot) Hara ex Lauener * ''Rubia atropurpurea'' Decne. * ''Rubia balearica'' (Willk.) Porta * ''Rubia caramanica'' Bornm. * ''Rubia charifolia'' Wall. ex G.Don * ''Rubia chinensis'' Regel & Maack * ''Rubia chitralensis'' Ehrend. * ''Rubia clematidifolia'' Blume ex Decne. * ''
Rubia cordifolia ''Rubia cordifolia'', known as Indian madder, is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It has been cultivated for a red pigment derived from roots. Description It can grow to 3.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are usu ...
'' L. * ''Rubia crassipes'' Collett & Hemsl. * ''Rubia cretacea'' Pojark. * ''Rubia danaensis'' Danin * ''Rubia davisiana'' Ehrend. * ''Rubia deserticola'' Pojark. * ''Rubia discolor'' Turcz. * ''Rubia dolichophylla'' Schrenk * ''Rubia edgeworthii'' Hook.f. * ''Rubia falciformis'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia filiformis'' F.C.How ex H.S.Lo * ''Rubia florida'' Boiss. * ''Rubia fruticosa'' Aiton * ''Rubia garrettii'' Craib * ''Rubia gedrosiaca'' Bornm. * ''Rubia haematantha'' Ary Shaw * ''Rubia hexaphylla'' (Makino) Makino * ''Rubia himalayensis'' Klotzsch * ''Rubia hispidicaulis'' D.G.Long * ''Rubia horrida'' (Thunb.) Puff * ''Rubia infundibularis'' Hemsl. & Lace * ''Rubia jesoensis'' (Miq.) Miyabe & Kudo * ''Rubia komarovii'' Pojark. * ''Rubia krascheninnikovii'' Pojark. * ''Rubia laevissima'' Tschern. * ''Rubia latipetala'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia laurae'' (Holmboe) Airy Shaw * ''Rubia laxiflora'' Gontsch. * ''Rubia linii'' J.M.Chao * ''Rubia magna'' P.G.Xiao * ''Rubia mandersii'' Collett & Hemsl. * ''Rubia manjith'' Roxb. ex Fleming * ''Rubia maymanensis'' Ehrend. & Schönb.-Tem. * ''Rubia membranacea'' Diels * ''Rubia oncotricha'' Hand.-Mazz. * ''Rubia oppositifolia'' Griff. * ''Rubia ovatifolia'' Z.Ying Zhang ex Q.Lin * ''Rubia pallida'' Diels * ''Rubia pauciflora'' Boiss. * ''Rubia pavlovii'' Bajtenov & Myrz. * ''
Rubia peregrina ''Rubia'' is the type genus of the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which also contains ''Coffea'' (coffee). It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and subshrubs native to the Old World. The genus and it ...
'' L. * ''Rubia petiolaris'' DC. * ''Rubia philippinensis'' Elmer * ''Rubia podantha'' Diels * ''Rubia polyphlebia'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia pterygocaulis'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia rechingeri'' Ehrend. * ''Rubia regelii'' Pojark. * ''Rubia rezniczenkoana'' Litv. * ''Rubia rigidifolia'' Pojark. * ''Rubia rotundifolia'' Banks & Sol. * ''Rubia salicifolia'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia schugnanica'' B.Fedtsch. ex Pojark. * ''Rubia schumanniana'' E.Pritz. * ''Rubia siamensis'' Craib * ''Rubia sikkimensis'' Kurz * ''Rubia sylvatica'' (Maxim.) Nakai * ''Rubia tatarica'' (Trevir.) F.Schmidt * ''Rubia tenuifolia'' d'Urv. * ''Rubia tenuissima'' ined. * ''Rubia thunbergii'' DC. * ''Rubia tibetica'' Hook.f. * ''
Rubia tinctorum ''Rubia tinctorum'', the rose madder or common madder or dyer's madder, is a herbaceous perennial plant species belonging to the bedstraw and coffee family Rubiaceae. Description The common madder can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen ...
'' L. * ''Rubia transcaucasica'' Grossh. * ''Rubia trichocarpa'' H.S.Lo * ''Rubia truppeliana'' Loes. * ''Rubia wallichiana'' Decne. * ''Rubia yunnanensis'' Diels


References


Further reading

*


External links


''Rubia'' in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae
{{Authority control Rubia, Medicinal plants Non-timber forest products Plant dyes Rubiaceae genera Rugs and carpets