''Saussurea'' is a genus of about 300 species 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 in the tribe

Cardueae The Cardueae are a tribe (biology), tribe of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) and the subfamily Carduoideae. Most of them are commonly known as thistles; four of the best known genera are ''Carduus'', ''Cynara'' (containing the ...

within the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

, native to cool

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

and

arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...

regions of

East Asia East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

, Europe, and North America, with the highest diversity in

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

habitats in 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 Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

and East Asia. Common names include saw-wort and snow lotus, the latter used for a number of high altitude species in East Asia. They are

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

plants, ranging in height from dwarf alpine species 5–10 cm tall, to tall

thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp spikes on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. T ...

-like plants up to 3 m tall. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are produced in a dense basal rosette, and then spirally up the flowering stem. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s form in a dense head of small capitula, often surrounded by dense white to purple woolly hairs; the individual florets are also white to purple. The wool is densest in the high altitude species, and aids in the thermoregulation of the flowers, minimising frost damage at night and also preventing

ultraviolet light Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of th ...

damage from the intense high-altitude sunlight. De Candolle named the genus after Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (1740–1799) and Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure (1767–1845).

Uses

A number of the high alpine Himalayan species are grown as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

s for their decorative dense woolly flowerheads; they are among the most challenging plants to grow, being adapted to harsh climates from 3500 to 5000 m altitude, demanding cool temperatures, a very long (up to 8–10 months) winter rest period, and very good soil drainage in humus-rich gravel soils.

Traditional uses

left, Snow lotus tubers selling in Chiang Rai, Thailand ''Costi amari radix'' or costus root was an important item of

Roman trade with India Indo-Roman trade relations (see also the spice trade and incense road) was trade between the Indian subcontinent and the Roman Empire in Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Trade through the overland caravan routes via Asia Minor and the Middl ...

, and is believed to have been the dried root of ''

Saussurea lappa ''Dolomiaea costus'', formerly known as ''Saussurea costus'', commonly known as costus, Indian costus, kuth, or putchuk, is a species of thistle in the genus '' Dolomiaea'' native to South Asia and China. Rishi (Hindu) mystics of Kashmir especial ...

''. Several varieties of snow lotus are used in traditional Tibetan medicine. ''Saussurea lappa'' is used a component of the traditional Tibetan medicine Padma 28. Research conducted on the Himalayan medicinal plants by C.P. Kala reveals that the practitioners of Tibetan medicine living in the Pin Valley of Himachal Pradesh use its root for curing dysentery and ulcer. ''

Saussurea laniceps ''Saussurea laniceps'' (common name cotton-headed snow lotus, ) is a rare snow lotus found only in the Himalayas including Nepal southwest China (in Sikkim in India and in Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan in China). It might also occur in northern Bur ...

'' '',

Saussurea involucrata ''Saussurea'' is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae, native to cool temperate and arctic regions of East Asia, Europe, and North America, with the highest diversity in alpine habit ...

'' and ''Saussurea medusa'' flowers and stems have long been used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...

for the treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

, cough with cold, stomachache,

dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea, also known as period pain, painful periods or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation. Its usual onset occurs around the time that menstruation begins. Symptoms typically last less than three days. The pain is usually in th ...

, and altitude sickness, and has been found to have antiinflammatory and analgesic effects, as well as cardiotonic, abortifacient, anticancer, and antifatigue actions.

have been proven to be more effective than ''

and Saussurea medusa.'' ''Saussurea obvallata'' is one of the most sacred species in India, and has been used for offerings to goddess Nanda Devi for time immemorial.

Pharmacology

''Saussurea lappa'' and has been shown to inhibit the

mRNA In molecular biology, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of Protein biosynthesis, synthesizing a protein. mRNA is ...

expression of

iNOS Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) are a family of enzymes catalyzing the production of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine. NO is an important cellular signaling molecule. It helps modulate vascular tone, insulin secretion, airway tone, and perist ...

lipopolysaccharide Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), now more commonly known as endotoxin, is a collective term for components of the outermost membrane of the cell envelope of gram-negative bacteria, such as '' E. coli'' and ''Salmonella'' with a common structural archit ...

stimulated

macrophages Macrophages (; abbreviated MPhi, φ, MΦ or MP) are a type of white blood cell of the innate immune system that engulf and digest pathogens, such as cancer cells, microbes, cellular debris and foreign substances, which do not have proteins that ...

, thus reducing

nitric oxide Nitric oxide (nitrogen oxide, nitrogen monooxide, or nitrogen monoxide) is a colorless gas with the formula . It is one of the principal oxides of nitrogen. Nitric oxide is a free radical: it has an unpaired electron, which is sometimes den ...

production. In rats, high doses of 50-200 milligrams per kilogram of crude ethanolic extract reduced observed inflammation in standard laboratory tests, and 25-100 milligrams per kilogram of the

sesquiterpene Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many combinations. Biochemical modifications s ...

fraction of the extract reduced several molecular markers of inflammation. Ethanol extracts were shown to have analgesic and antiinflammatory effects at high doses of 75-300 milligrams per kilogram. As the slow-growing wild plant is endangered by collections, a substitute grown in tissue culture has been suggested, which is mostly equivalent. Generally the analgesic and antiinflammatory effects of the plant are much inferior to those of

indometacin Indometacin, also known as indomethacin, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used as a prescription medication to reduce fever, pain, stiffness, and swelling from inflammation. It works by inhibiting the production of ...

Literature and culture

In most Chinese martial arts literature, the snow Lotus was classified a rare herb as precious as

lingzhi mushroom Lingzhi, ''Ganoderma sichuanense'', also known as reishi or ''Ganoderma lingzhi'' is a polypore fungus ("bracket fungus") native to East Asia belonging to the genus ''Ganoderma''. Its reddish brown, varnished, kidney-shaped cap with bands and p ...

, and old

ginseng Ginseng () is the root of plants in the genus ''Panax'', such as South China ginseng (''Panax notoginseng, P. notoginseng''), Korean ginseng (''Panax ginseng, P. ginseng''), and American ginseng (''American ginseng, P. quinquefol ...

Selected species

* ''Saussurea abnormis''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea acrophila''. China. * ''Saussurea albescens''. Western Himalaya. * '' Saussurea alpina''. common saw-wort. Northern and central Europe, northwest Asia. * ''Saussurea amara''. China, Russia. * '' Saussurea americana''. American saw-wort. Western North America. * ''Saussurea amurensis''. China. * ''Saussurea angustifolia''. narrowleaf saw-wort. Arctic northeast Asia, Alaska, Canada. * ''Saussurea auriculata''. Himalaya, western China. * ''Saussurea bhutkesh''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea bodinieri''. China. * ''Saussurea bullockii''. China. * ''Saussurea cana''. China. * ''Saussurea candolleana''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea ceratocarpa''. Kashmir. * ''Saussurea chinnampoensis''. China. * ''Saussurea chrysotricha''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea controversa''. Russia. * ''Saussurea cordifolia''. China. * ''

Saussurea costus ''Dolomiaea costus'', formerly known as ''Saussurea costus'', commonly known as costus, Indian costus, kuth, or putchuk, is a species of thistle in the genus '' Dolomiaea'' native to South Asia and China. Rishi (Hindu) mystics of Kashmir especial ...

''. Eastern Himalaya. * ''Saussurea crispa''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea deltoidea''. Himalaya, China, Taiwan. * ''Saussurea densa''. Clustered saw-wort. Arctic northeast Asia, Canada, Montana. * ''Saussurea dhwojii''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea discolor''. Alpine central Europe. * ''Saussurea dolichopoda''. China. * ''Saussurea donkiah''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea dutaillyana''. China. * ''Saussurea dzeurensis''. China. * ''Saussurea elegans''. Caucasus. * ''Saussurea epilobioides''. China. * '' Saussurea esthonica''. Eastern Europe. * ''Saussurea fastuosa''. Himalaya, western China. * ''Saussurea formosana''. Taiwan. * ''Saussurea forrestii''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea frondosa''. China. * ''Saussurea glandulosa''. Taiwan. * ''Saussurea globosa''. China. * ''Saussurea gnaphalodes''. Himalaya, western China. * '' Saussurea gossypiphora''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea graminea''. China. * ''Saussurea graminifolia''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea grandiflora''. China. * ''Saussurea heteromalla''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea hieracioides''. Himalaya, western China. * ''Saussurea hookeri''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea involucrata''. snow lotus, Himalaya, (Vansemberuu) Mongolia. * ''Saussurea iodostegia''. China. * ''Saussurea japonica''. Japan, Korea, northern China. * ''Saussurea kanaii''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea kanzanensis''. Taiwan. * ''Saussurea kingii''. China. * ''Saussurea kiraisanensis''. Taiwan. * ''Saussurea laminamaensis''. Himalaya. * ''

''. China. * ''Saussurea lanuginosa''. China. * ''Saussurea lappa''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea leontodontoides''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea licentiana''. China. * ''Saussurea likiangensis''. Southwest China. * ''Saussurea linearifolia''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea longifolia''. China. * ''Saussurea manshurica''. Northern China. * ''Saussurea medusa''. China. * ''Saussurea mongolica''. Western China, Mongolia. * ''Saussurea namikawae''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea neofranchetii''. China. * ''Saussurea nepalensis''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea nigrescens''. China. * ''Saussurea nishiokae''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea nivea''. China. * ''Saussurea nuda''. nutty saw-wort. Alaska. * '' Saussurea obvallata''. Brahma kamal. Himalaya, northern Burma and south-west China. * ''Saussurea oligantha''. China. * ''Saussurea otophylla''. China. * ''Saussurea pachyneura''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea parviflora''. Russia, China. * ''Saussurea pectinata''. China. * ''Saussurea peguensis''. China. * ''Saussurea phaeantha''. China. * ''Saussurea pinetorum''. China. * ''Saussurea piptathera''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea platyphyllaria''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea polycephala''. China. * ''Saussurea polystichoides''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea populifolia''. China. * ''Saussurea porcii''. Carpathians. * ''Saussurea pulchella''. Japan, Korea, northern China, eastern Siberia. * ''Saussurea pygmaea''. Alps, Carpathians. * ''Saussurea quercifolia''. China. * ''Saussurea romuleifolia''. China. * ''Saussurea roylei''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea runcinata''. China. * ''Saussurea salsa''. Russia, China. * ''Saussurea simpsoniana''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea sobarocephala''. China. * ''Saussurea spicata''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea stafleuana''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea stella''. China. * ''Saussurea stracheyana''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea sughoo''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea taraxacifolia''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea tangutica''. Western Asia. * ''Saussurea topkegolensis''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea tridactyla''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea turgaiensis''. Russia. * ''Saussurea uniflora''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea ussuriensis''. China, eastern Russia. * ''Saussurea vansemberuu''. Mongolia. * ''Saussurea veitchiana''. Central China. * ''Saussurea velutina''. China. * ''Saussurea viscida''. sticky saw-wort. Alaska. * '' Saussurea weberi''. Weber's saw-wort. Rocky Mountains. * ''Saussurea werneroides''. Himalaya. * ''Saussurea yakla''. Himalaya.

References

External links

* *
Chinese plant names: ''Saussurea''

Checklist of the plants of Nepal: ''Saussurea''

* * {{Authority control Medicinal plants Uttarakhand Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle