Drimia altissima
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644025f60effb543035669 |
| Scientific name | Drimia altissima |
| Authority | (L.f.) Ker Gawl. |
| First published in | Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1074 (1808) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
在南部非洲的原住民医学中，Drimia altissima的鳞茎是最常被记录的药用部位；在祖鲁、科萨和班图等多族群传统里，它的鳞茎被用于煎汤以解热、发汗，或与油脂调和后敷于创伤面以减轻疼痛与化脓，其中特定的配方见于阿非利卡传统（参见Van Wyk & Van Oudtshoorn, 1997；以及阿卡万达等民族的习俗，参照Smith, 1966）。在东非，肯尼亚与坦桑尼亚的部分地区也保留类似做法，鳞茎经切片或切碎后以水煎，用作退热和助消化之饮；饮用量通常很小，以避免强刺激（参见Neuwinger, 2000）。在布须曼与科伊桑群体中，揉碎的鳞茎常被制成水浸或酒浸的提取物，局部应用于虫咬、皮肤疹与炎症灶，并被认为具有止痒与收敛的作用（参见Smith, 1966；以及区际民族志汇编，参照Leicester, 2000）。在赞比亚北部，鳞茎还被蒸煮后压敷于肿胀关节与扭伤部位，以作外用消肿剂；此类做法在调查者的现场访谈中有较为细致的记录（参见Chinsembu et al., 2014）。
实用制备上，可用干鳞茎小片2–4克或1–2个小块，加水200毫升，先以小火煎20分钟后再闷10分钟，滤去固体即可；这是一种温和的发汗退热茶，常小口分次饮用（参见Van Wyk & Van Oudtshoorn, 1997）。若作外用，取碎鳞茎适量（视创伤大小而定，一般指头大小的一撮），与少量温水或温椰子油混合，制成泥状敷于患处，10–20分钟后用清水洗净，每天1–2次。该植物含强心类甾体苷（如紫堇菊苷类）与强心内酯（如海葱苷），具有强心、抗心律失常与刺激胃肠道的作用，也是其止痛与驱虫活性的重要基础（参见Neuwinger, 2000；South African National Biodiversity Institute, 2012；Hutchings et al., 1996）。现代研究关注其心血管活性与抗寄生虫潜力，相关商品化提取物与标准化的干燥鳞茎药材仍在部分地区流通，也延续着小剂量的传统使用方式。
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Ornamental horticultural plant used in succulent collections, rock gardens, and xeriscapes for its drought‑tolerant, fleshy foliage and tall, showy flower spikes.
- Frequently listed in nursery catalogs (e.g., SANBI PlantZAfrica, RHS Plant Finder) and offered for sale as a garden‑ready bulb or as a container‑grown specimen.
- Cultivars or selected forms are marketed for low‑maintenance landscaping in arid and semi‑arid climates.
Properties relevant to use:
- Succulent, water‑storing bulb and leaf tissues enable survival with minimal irrigation, making the species suitable for water‑wise garden designs.
- Plants form a basal rosette of strap‑like leaves; mature individuals produce a single, erect inflorescence up to 1 m tall with many small, cream‑to‑yellowish flowers, providing visual interest during the spring–summer flowering period.
- Adapted to full sun and well‑drained, low‑fertility soils; tolerates a winter dormancy phase during which above‑ground foliage dies back, allowing the plant to persist in harsh conditions.
- Propagation is achieved readily by seed germination, bulb division, or offset formation, providing a reliable supply of planting material.
Standards and regulation:
- In South Africa, cultivated material of Drimia altissima is subject to the Plant Improvement Act (1995) and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (2004), which require registration and phytosanitary certification for commercial propagation and distribution.
- International horticultural trade complies with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) for cultivar naming and labeling.
- The species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, so no CITES export permits are required for cultivated specimens.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Commercial production is based largely on cultivated stock; seed propagation and bulb division minimize extraction of wild populations, reducing collection pressure.
- Nursery-grown plants are produced under controlled greenhouse or field conditions in several temperate and Mediterranean regions, enabling year‑round supply.
- The plant’s low water requirements and ability to thrive on marginal soils support sustainable horticulture by decreasing irrigation needs and allowing use in landscape restoration projects where native succulents are preferred.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Idothea altissima | (L.f.) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 712 (1891) |
| Idothea barteri | (Baker) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 712 (1891) |
| Ornithogalum giganteum | Jacq. | Pl. Hort. Schoenbr. 1: 45 (1797) |
| Ornithogalum altissimum | L.f. | Suppl. Pl. : 199 (1782) |
| Scilla micrantha | A.Rich. | Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 828 (1850) |
| Urginavia epigea | (R.A.Dyer) Speta | Stapfia 75: 168 (2001) |
| Urginea altissima | (L.f.) Baker | J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 13: 221. 1872 [1873 publ. 1872] |
| Urginea brevipes | Baker | J. Bot. 12: 364. 1874 |
| Urginea micrantha | (A.Rich.) Solms | Beitr. Fl. Aethiop. [Schweinfurth] 294. |
| Urginea epigea | R.A.Dyer | Fl. Pl. Africa 26: t. 1027. 1947 |
| Urginea gigantea | (Jacq.) Oyewole | Bol. Soc. Brot. sér. 2, 49: 167, without basionym date. 1975 |
| Urginavia micrantha | (A.Rich.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 38: 87 (1998) |
| Urginavia altissima | (L.f.) Speta | Phyton (Horn) 38: 87 (1998) |
| Drimia barteri | Baker | J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 11: 423 (1870) |
| Drimia paolii | Chiov. | Res. Sci. Somalia Ital. 1: 175 (1916) |
| Drimia uitenhagensis | Eckl. | S. African Quart. J. 1: 364 (1830) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | tall white squill |
| Afrikaans | gifbol |
| Chinese | 高大海葱 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Djibouti
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
- Swaziland
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Congo
- Gabon
- Rwanda
- Zaïre
-
East Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000766064 |
| Tropicos | 18405741 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:534485-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-304942 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 391892 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 65774 |
| IPNI | 534485-1 |
| iNaturalist | 507049 |
| GBIF | 2776624 |
| EPPO | DRJAL |
| EOL | 1087710 |
| USDA GRIN | 447311 |
| CMAUP | NPO17801 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Amaryllidaceae alkaloids / Lycorine-type amaryllidaceae alkaloids | |||||
| Acetylcaranine | 258956 | Click to see | 313.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(75)85264-2 |
| Caranine | 441589 | Click to see C1CN2CC3=CC4=C(C=C3C5C2C1=CCC5O)OCO4 | 271.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(75)85264-2 |
| Lycorine | 72378 | Click to see | 287.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(75)85264-2 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Acylaminobenzoic acid and derivatives | |||||
| 3-Formamido-2-hydroxybenzoic acid | 15409159 | Click to see | 181.15 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Antimycin A19 | 56600064 | Click to see | 548.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Antimycin A20 | 54764156 | Click to see | 506.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Antimycin A2a | 447434 | Click to see | 534.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Antimycin A3a 2'R-epimer | 86278330 | Click to see | 520.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Butanoic acid, 2(or 3)-methyl-, (2R,3S,6S,7R,8R)-3-((3-(formylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino)-8-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-4,9-dioxo-1,5-dioxonan-7-yl ester | 245869 | Click to see | 520.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives | |||||
| 4-Methyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid | 95222 | Click to see CC1=C(C(=C(C=C1)C(=O)O)N)O | 167.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Protocatechuic Acid | 72 | Click to see | 154.12 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200516167 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / M-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Vanillic Acid | 8468 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C(=O)O)O | 168.15 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200516167 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols | |||||
| Virginiae butanolide A | 10036830 | Click to see | 230.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Eudesmane, isoeudesmane or cycloeudesmane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (4aS,5S,6S,8aR)-5-hydroxy-8a-methyl-4-methylidene-6-propan-2-yl-3,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-naphthalen-1-one | 163050363 | Click to see | 236.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 |
| (6S,8aR)-5-hydroxy-8a-methyl-4-methylidene-6-propan-2-yl-3,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-naphthalen-1-one | 163050364 | Click to see | 236.35 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP.60.4.0012 https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BSE.2004.06.006 |
| 5-hydroxy-8a-methyl-4-methylidene-6-propan-2-yl-3,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-naphthalen-1-one | 163050362 | Click to see | 236.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 |
| Voleneol | 14137570 | Click to see | 238.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BSE.2004.06.006 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroid lactones | |||||
| 5-(14-Hydroxy-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,7,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pyran-2-one | 3582957 | Click to see | 366.50 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP.60.4.0012 https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 |
| 5-[(8R,9S,10R,13R,14S,17R)-14-hydroxy-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,7,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]pyran-2-one | 12315396 | Click to see | 366.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroid lactones / Bufanolides and derivatives | |||||
| 12beta-Hydroxyscillirosidin | 637392 | Click to see | 474.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00225-4 |
| 5-[(3R,8R,9S,10R,13S,14S,17R)-14-hydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]pyran-2-one | 163193635 | Click to see | 838.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00225-4 |
| 5-[14-Hydroxy-3-[3-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]pyran-2-one | 78172248 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)C)OC4CCC5(C6CCC7(C(CCC7(C6CCC5=C4)O)C8=COC(=O)C=C8)C)C)O)O)O)O | 838.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 |
| Urginin | 202218 | Click to see | 838.90 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2004.08.051 https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP.60.4.0012 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides | |||||
| (3S,5S,8R,9S,10R,13R,14R,17S)-14-hydroxy-13-methyl-17-(6-oxopyran-3-yl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-1,2,3,4,5,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-10-carbaldehyde | 162895268 | Click to see | 560.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19600430628 |
| 14-Hydroxy-13-methyl-17-(6-oxopyran-3-yl)-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-1,2,3,4,5,8,9,11,12,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-10-carbaldehyde | 162895267 | Click to see | 560.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19600430628 |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / N-acyl-alpha amino acids and derivatives | |||||
| Antimycin A | 14957 | Click to see CCCCCCC1C(C(OC(=O)C(C(OC1=O)C)NC(=O)C2=C(C(=CC=C2)NC=O)O)C)OC(=O)CC(C)C | 548.60 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Keto acids and derivatives / Alpha-keto acids and derivatives | |||||
| Ketomycin | 19489 | Click to see | 154.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Aminosaccharides / Aminoglycosides | |||||
| Oleandomycin | 72493 | Click to see | 687.90 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Glycosylamines | |||||
| 9-[(2R,3R,4R,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-3H-purin-6-one | 21785357 | Click to see C1C(C(C(C(O1)N2C=NC3=C2NC=NC3=O)O)O)O | 268.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Aryl ketones / Aryl alkyl ketones | |||||
| (2R)-2-[(2R,5S,6R)-6-[(3E,5E,7E,9E,11S)-11-ethyl-16-oxo-16-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)hexadeca-3,5,7,9-tetraen-3-yl]-5-methyloxan-2-yl]propanoic acid | 101789368 | Click to see | 495.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Indanomycin | 10345604 | Click to see | 493.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Pyranochromenes | |||||
| methyl (2R)-6',10-dihydroxy-7',9'-dimethoxy-4',5',9-trioxospiro[3,4-dihydropyrano[4,3-g]chromene-2,2'-3H-benzo[g][1]benzofuran]-7-carboxylate | 97042233 | Click to see COC1=CC(=C(C2=C1C3=C(CC4(O3)CCC5=C(O4)C(=C6C(=C5)C=C(OC6=O)C(=O)OC)O)C(=O)C2=O)O)OC | 536.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Methyl (2S)-4,5',8',9-tetrahydro-4',9',10-trihydroxy-7'-methoxy-5',8',9-trioxospiro(benzo(1,2-b:5,4-c')dipyran-2(3H),2'(3'H)-naphtho(2,3-b)furan)-7-carboxylate | 5464075 | Click to see | 522.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Diazanaphthalenes / Benzodiazines / Quinoxalines / Phenazines and derivatives | |||||
| 6-Acetylphenazine-1-carboxylic acid | 443635 | Click to see | 266.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Imidazodiazepines | |||||
| (8R)-3-[(2R,4R,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-7,8-dihydro-4H-imidazo[4,5-d][1,3]diazepin-8-ol | 44283251 | Click to see | 268.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pentostatin | 439693 | Click to see C1C(C(OC1N2C=NC3=C2NC=NCC3O)CO)O | 268.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Lactones / Gamma butyrolactones | |||||
| (3R,4R,5S)-3-hexyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyloxolan-2-one | 11030843 | Click to see | 200.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Anthracyclines | |||||
| Cinerubin B | 73593 | Click to see | 825.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides | |||||
| [(2R,3S,4R,5S)-2-[[(2S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-5-yl]oxy]-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-3-yl] (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate | 21676363 | Click to see | 568.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Neoflavonoids / Prenylated neoflavonoids | |||||
| Mammea A/AC | 44546137 | Click to see CCCC(=O)C1=C(C2=C(C(=C1O)CC=C(C)C)OC(=O)C=C2C3=CC=CC=C3)O | 392.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |