''Sophora flavescens'', the shrubby sophora, is a species of plant in the genus ''

Sophora ''Sophora'' is a genus of about 45 species of small trees and shrubs in the pea family Fabaceae. The species have a pantropical distribution. The generic name is derived from ''sophera'', an Arabic name for a pea-flowered tree. The genus formerl ...

'' of the family Fabaceae. This genus contains about 52 species. It mainly occurs in India, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Description

''Sophora flavescens'' can grow to a height of 2 m. Its stem is marked with stripes and covered in soft hairs when young. The leaves are usually 20-25 cm long, with lanceolate

stipules In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part of the anatomy ...

and 13-25 elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate leaflets. The plant produces terminal racemes measuring 15-25 cm, with numerous flowers spaced widely apart. The flowers have slender

pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branch ...

and linear

bracts In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also loo ...

with white, pale yellow, purple-red, or red spoon-shaped petals. It blooms from June to August and fruits from July to October.

Distribution

''Sophora flavescens'' is native to China and can be found in all provinces in China. It can be also found in India, Japan, Korea and the

Russian Far East The Russian Far East ( rus, Дальний Восток России, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in North Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asia, Asian continent, and is coextensive with the Far Easte ...

. It mainly grows on mountainous slopes, sandy grassland inclines, shrub forests, or around the fields, typically at elevations below 1500 meters.

Growth and cultivation

''Sophora flavescens'' is an evergreen slow growing shrub growing to by . It is hardy to and to US zone 6. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. Like many other species in the family

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

, this species can fix nitrogen.

Chemistry

Chemical compounds isolated from ''S. flavescens'' include: *

Matrine Matrine is an alkaloid found in plants from the family ''Fabaceae''. It has a variety of pharmacological effects, including in-vitro anti-cancer effects, as well as κ-opioid and μ-opioid receptor agonism. Matrine possesses strong antitumor a ...

and matrine oxide,

quinolizidine Quinolizidine (norlupinane, octahydro-2''H''-quinolizine) is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound. Some alkaloids (e.g. cytisine and sparteine) are derivatives of quinolizidine. Quinolizidine alkaloids Quinolizidine alkaloids, such as ...

alkaloids found in the roots * Kushenin, a

pterocarpan Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes (i.e. 6''H''- enzofuro

,2-c The comma is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. Some typefaces render it as a small line, slightly curved or straight, but inclined from the vertical; others give it the appearance of a miniature fille ...

hromene skeleton) which can be formed by coupling of th ...

and

isoflavonoid Isoflavonoids are a class of flavonoid phenolic compounds, many of which are biologically active. Isoflavonoids and their derivatives are sometimes referred to as phytoestrogens, as many isoflavonoid compounds have biological effects via the estr ...

* Sophoraflavanone G * 7,9,2',4'-Tetrahydroxy-8-isopentenyl-5-methoxychalcone * Sophoridine * Kurarinone * Trifolirhizin, a

pterocarpan Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes (i.e. 6''H''- enzofuro

hromene skeleton) which can be formed by coupling of th ...

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

, isolated from the roots * 8-Prenylkaempferol, a

prenylflavonoid Prenylated flavonoids or prenylflavonoids are a sub-class of flavonoids. They are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. Some are known to have phytoestrogenic or antioxidant properties. They are given in the list of adaptogens in herbali ...

* Oxysophocarpine and sophocarpine,

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

Toxicity

Toxic effects from use of the root may include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, constipation, spasms, disturbance of speech, irregular breathing, respiratory failure and

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

References

External links

Sophora flavescens Ait.
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q911666 flavescens Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine