PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Iresine diffusa

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID644021ee3c259226555734
Scientific name Iresine diffusa
Authority Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
First published in Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 765 (1806)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

Write a new one!
No ethnobotanical data added yet. Help us by writing one.

General Uses Top

Suggest a correction!

Common products:
The species is cultivated as an ornamental foliage plant. Individuals are sold as potted specimens, bedding plants, and as cut foliage for decorative arrangements. Typical retail formats are 4–6‑inch containers for indoor or patio display and larger cell packs for landscape beds. The plant is marketed for its compact, bushy habit and leaf colouration. In the cut‑flower trade, stems are harvested at full colour and used fresh in bouquets or dried for long‑lasting wreaths and table centrepieces. It is occasionally sold as part of mixed ornamental collections under common names such as “purple bloodleaf” or “red‑veined amaranth”.

Properties relevant to use:
Botanical descriptions list Iresine diffusa as an herbaceous, short‑lived perennial reaching 0.2–0.6 m in height with ovate to elliptic leaves that commonly show a reddish‑purple hue due to pigment accumulation. The pigment remains stable under typical indoor lighting and after drying, allowing use in both fresh and preserved forms. Growth is rapid under warm temperatures (20–30 °C) and the species tolerates moderate drought, making it suitable for water‑efficient greenhouse production. Vegetative propagation by stem cuttings roots within 2–3 weeks, enabling efficient scaling of nursery stock while preserving leaf colour traits. The stems are soft and pliable, facilitating handling in floristry.

Standards and regulation:
Cross‑border trade of ornamental plant material must satisfy plant‑health requirements under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and national regulations (e.g., USDA‑APHIS, EU Plant Health Regulation). Phytosanitary certificates confirming freedom from quarantine pests are required for import/export. Domestic nursery stock is generally subject to labeling and inspection standards that vary by jurisdiction but commonly include origin and health status disclosure. No species‑specific cultivar registration was found, so naming follows the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP).

Sustainability and sourcing:
Propagation by vegetative cuttings allows production from limited stock without harvesting from wild populations, reducing pressure on native habitats. Greenhouse cultivation can use low‑input methods such as drip irrigation and integrated pest management, aligning with sustainable horticulture. While quantitative life‑cycle data for this species are not yet published, the rapid vegetative multiplication and modest environmental requirements suggest a relatively low environmental footprint compared with many woody ornamental crops. Responsible sourcing generally involves certified nursery production and compliance with regional plant‑health regulations.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Trommsdorffia canescens Mart. Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. Bras. 2: 40 (1826)
Alternanthera canescens Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 350 (1849)
Celosia paniculata L. Sp. Pl. : 206 (1753)
Crucita americana Lam. Encycl. 2: 218 1786
Crucita hispanica L. Sp. Pl. ed. 2 : 179 (1762)
Crucita hispanicoamericana Schult. Syst. Veg. 4: 484 1819
Cruzeta americana Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 349 (1849)
Cruzeta celosioides (L.) M.Gómez Anales Inst. Segunda Enseñ. 2: 313. 1896
Cruzeta hispanica Loefl. Iter Hispan. : 203 (1758)
Gonufas paniculata Raf. Sylva Tellur. : 124 (1838)
Iresine canescens Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 765 (1806)
Iresine celosia L. Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1291. 1759 [7 Jun 1759]
Iresine celosia var. diffusa (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Suess. Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 4: 106 (1952)
Iresine celosia subsp. tomentosa de la Luz Feddes Repert. 96: 553 (1985)
Iresine celosioides L. Sp. Pl., ed. 2. 2: 1456. 1763 [Aug 1763]
Iresine celosioides var. eriophylla Benth. Bot. Voy. Sulphur : 156 (1846)
Iresine elongata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 765 (1806)
Iresine paniculata (L.) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 542. 1891 [5 Nov 1891]
Iresine polymorpha Mart. Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 2: 56 (1826)
Iresine acuminata Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 345 (1849)
Iresine eriophylla Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 347 (1849)
Iresine mutisii Kunth Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 200 (1818)
Iresine spiculigera var. pauciglandulosa Herzog Meded. Rijks-Herb. 46: 9 1922
Iresine celosioides var. pubescens Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 347 (1849)
Iresine eriophora Peyr. Linnaea 30: 21 (1859)
Iresine floribunda M.Martens & Galeotti Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 10(1): 347 (1843)
Iresine gossypiantha A.Rich. Hist. Fis. Cuba, Bot. 11: 177 (1850)
Iresine havanensis Kunth Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 199 (1818)
Iresine hookeri Moq. Prodr. 13(2): 344 (1849)
Iresine paniculata var. floridana Uline & W.L.Bray Bot. Gaz. 21: 353 (1896)
Iresine parvifolia Kunth Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 198 (1818)
Iresine polymorpha var. alopecuroidea Mart. Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 2: 56 (1826)
Iresine polymorpha var. effusa Mart. Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 2: 56 (1826)
Iresine polymorpha var. verticillata (Spreng.) Mart. Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 2: 56 (1826)
Iresine verticillata Spreng. Syst. Veg. 1: 821 (1824)
Xerandra celosioides Raf. Fl. Tellur. 3: 43. 1837 [1836 publ. Nov-Dec 1837]
Iresine celosioides var. macrophylla Griseb. Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen 19: 82. 1874 Plantae Lorentzianae p. 34
Iresine celosioides var. nicotianoides Suess. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 38: 11 (1935)

Common names Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!

Language Common/alternative name
English juba's bush

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
Name Authority First published in
Iresine diffusa var. macrophylla (Griseb.) Pedersen Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., B, Adansonia Sér. 4, 12(1): 88. 1990
Iresine diffusa var. spiculigera (Seub.) Eliasson Fl. Ecuador 28: 124. 1987 eds

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
Name Authority First published in
Iresine diffusa f. herbstii (Hook.) Pedersen Bonplandia (Corrientes) 10: 104 (2000)

Germination/Propagation Top

Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Africa
    • East Tropical Africa
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
    • Macaronesia
      • Madeira
    • Northeast Tropical Africa
      • Ethiopia
    • West-central Tropical Africa
      • Cameroon
      • Gulf Of Guinea Islands
  • Asia-temperate
    • China
      • China South-central
      • China Southeast
      • Hainan
    • Eastern Asia
      • Nansei-shoto
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Assam
      • East Himalaya
      • India
      • Nepal
      • Sri Lanka
    • Indo-China
      • Laos
      • Vietnam
    • Malesia
      • Jawa
      • Maluku
      • Sulawesi
    • Papuasia
      • Solomon Islands
  • Northern America
    • Mexico
      • Mexico Central
      • Mexico Gulf
      • Mexico Northeast
      • Mexico Northwest
      • Mexico Southeast
      • Mexico Southwest
    • South-central U.S.A.
      • Texas
    • Southeastern U.S.A.
      • Florida
      • Louisiana
  • Pacific
    • Northwestern Pacific
      • Marianas
    • South-central Pacific
      • Marquesas
      • Society Islands
      • Tubuai Islands
    • Southwestern Pacific
      • Fiji
      • Vanuatu
  • Southern America
    • Brazil
      • Brazil North
      • Brazil Northeast
      • Brazil South
      • Brazil Southeast
      • Brazil West-central
    • Caribbean
      • Cayman Islands
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Leeward Islands
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad-Tobago
      • Venezuelan Antilles
      • Windward Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panamá
    • Northern South America
      • Guyana
      • Suriname
      • Venezuela
    • Southern South America
      • Argentina Northeast
      • Argentina Northwest
      • Paraguay
      • Uruguay
    • Western South America
      • Bolivia
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000732153
UNII 88R8Z1FWND
Florida Plant Atlas 3079
USDA Plants IRDI
Tropicos 1100247
INPN 629928
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:129900-2
The Plant List kew-2866580
Open Tree Of Life 744139
NCBI Taxonomy 217685
Nature Serve 2.139621
IPNI 129900-2
iNaturalist 130870
GBIF 3085038
Freebase /m/0ztkjb4
EPPO IRECE
Elurikkus 365184
USDA GRIN 101556
Wikipedia Iresine_diffusa

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)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Vascular Plant Species Inventory of Mexico’s Revillagigedo National Park: Awareness of Alien Invaders as a Sine Qua Non Prerequisite for Island Conservation Domínguez-Meneses A, Martínez-Gómez JE, Mejía-Saulés T, Acosta-Rosado I, Stadler S Plants (Basel) 30-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10575041
doi:10.3390/plants12193455
PMID:37836194
Antileishmanial Activities of Medicinal Herbs and Phytochemicals In Vitro and In Vivo: An Update for the Years 2015 to 2021 Hassan AA, Khalid HE, Abdalla AH, Mukhtar MM, Osman WJ, Efferth T Molecules 04-Nov-2022
PMCID:PMC9656935
doi:10.3390/molecules27217579
PMID:36364404
Therapeutic roles of plants for 15 hypothesised causal bases of Alzheimer’s disease Tyler SE, Tyler LD Nat Prod Bioprospect 23-Aug-2022
PMCID:PMC9395556
doi:10.1007/s13659-022-00354-z
PMID:35996065
Testing the effectiveness of rbcLa DNA-barcoding for species discrimination in tropical montane cloud forest vascular plants (Oaxaca, Mexico) using BLAST, genetic distance, and tree-based methods Trujillo-Argueta S, del Castillo RF, Velasco-Murguía A PeerJ 16-Aug-2022
PMCID:PMC9390329
doi:10.7717/peerj.13771
PMID:35990900
Poorly Investigated Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants Armijos C, Ramírez J, Vidari G Plants (Basel) 16-Jun-2022
PMCID:PMC9229133
doi:10.3390/plants11121590
PMID:35736741
The Potential of Traditional Knowledge to Develop Effective Medicines for the Treatment of Leishmaniasis Passero LF, Brunelli ED, Sauini T, Amorim Pavani TF, Jesus JA, Rodrigues E Front Pharmacol 08-Jun-2021
PMCID:PMC8248671
doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.690432
PMID:34220515
Antiviral Activity of Jamaican Medicinal Plants and Isolated Bioactive Compounds Lowe H, Steele B, Bryant J, Fouad E, Toyang N, Ngwa W Molecules 25-Jan-2021
PMCID:PMC7865499
doi:10.3390/molecules26030607
PMID:33503834
A Phytosociological Study on Andean Rainforests of Peru, and a Comparison with the Surrounding Countries Galán-de-Mera A, Campos-de-la-Cruz J, Linares-Perea E, Montoya-Quino J, Torres-Marquina I, Vicente-Orellana JA Plants (Basel) 26-Nov-2020
PMCID:PMC7761437
doi:10.3390/plants9121654
PMID:33256180
Astonishing diversity—the medicinal plant markets of Bogotá, Colombia Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Romero C, Hart RE J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 20-Jun-2018
PMCID:PMC6011411
doi:10.1186/s13002-018-0241-8
PMID:29925407
“Horchata” drink in Southern Ecuador: medicinal plants and people’s wellbeing Rios M, Tinitana F, Jarrín-V P, Donoso N, Romero-Benavides JC J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 09-Mar-2017
PMCID:PMC5345160
doi:10.1186/s13002-017-0145-z
PMID:28279218
Field Sandbur (Cenchrus pauciflorus) Seeds in the Same Bur Respond Differently to Temperature and Water Potential in Relation to Germination in a Semi-Arid Environment, China Zhang Z, Tian X, Bai Y, Liu H, Niu X, Wang Z, Wang Q PLoS One 19-Dec-2016
PMCID:PMC5167391
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168394
PMID:27992496
Cercosporoid fungi (Mycosphaerellaceae) 4. Species on dicots (Acanthaceae to Amaranthaceae) Braun U, Crous PW, Nakashima C IMA Fungus 10-Nov-2015
PMCID:PMC4681261
doi:10.5598/imafungus.2015.06.02.09
PMID:26734548
The Key Role of Cultural Preservation in Maize Diversity Conservation in the Argentine Yungas Hilgert NI, Zamudio F, Furlan V, Cariola L Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 03-Sep-2013
PMCID:PMC3776377
doi:10.1155/2013/732760
PMID:24078829
Checklist of vascular plants of the Department of Ñeembucú, Paraguay Egea JD, Peña-Chocarro M, Espada C, Knapp S PhytoKeys 30-Jan-2012
PMCID:PMC3281576
doi:10.3897/phytokeys.9.2279
PMID:22371688
Medicinal plants used in Northern Peru for reproductive problems and female health Bussmann RW, Glenn A J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 01-Nov-2010
PMCID:PMC2984435
doi:10.1186/1746-4269-6-30
PMID:21040536

Phytochemical Profile Top

Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols
1-Triacontanol 68972 Click to see 438.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-4-[[(3R,4aR,6aR,6bS,8aR,12aR,14aR,14bR)-4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,11,14b-octamethyl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-tetradecahydropicen-3-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,5-triol 162913020 Click to see 588.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-4-[[(3S,4aR,6aR,6bS,8aR,12aR,14aR,14bR)-4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,11,14b-octamethyl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-tetradecahydropicen-3-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,5-triol 162913021 Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(C5(C)C)OC6C(C(OC(C6O)O)CO)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C)C 588.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
4-[(4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,11,14b-Octamethyl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,12a,14,14a-tetradecahydropicen-3-yl)oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,5-triol 162913019 Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(C5(C)C)OC6C(C(OC(C6O)O)CO)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C)C 588.90 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
(-)-beta-Sitosterol 222284 Click to see 414.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
17-(5-ethyl-6-methylhept-3-en-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol 122544 Click to see 412.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol 86821 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C 414.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
beta-Sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside 296119 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C 576.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
Sitogluside 5742590 Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C 576.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
Stigmasterol 5280794 Click to see 412.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Dioxepanes / 1,3-dioxepanes
(7aR,8S,9S,11aS,11bR)-8-(hydroxymethyl)-3,3,8,11a-tetramethyl-1,5,7,7a,9,10,11,11b-octahydrobenzo[g][2,4]benzodioxepin-9-ol 162854039 Click to see 310.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
8-(Hydroxymethyl)-3,3,8,11a-tetramethyl-1,5,7,7a,9,10,11,11b-octahydrobenzo[g][2,4]benzodioxepin-9-ol 162854038 Click to see 310.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Naphthofurans
(4R,5aR,6S,7S,9aS)-4,7-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6,9a-dimethyl-4,5,5a,7,8,9-hexahydro-1H-benzo[e][2]benzofuran-3-one 162900660 Click to see CC12CCC(C(C1CC(C3=C2COC3=O)O)(C)CO)O 282.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
(4S,5aR,6S,7S,9aS)-4,7-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6,9a-dimethyl-4,5,5a,7,8,9-hexahydro-1H-benzo[e][2]benzofuran-3-one 163186871 Click to see 282.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
(5aR,6S,7S,9aS,9bR)-7-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6,9a-dimethyl-5,5a,7,8,9,9b-hexahydro-1H-benzo[e][2]benzofuran-3-one 163074387 Click to see CC12CCC(C(C1CC=C3C2COC3=O)(C)CO)O 266.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
4,7-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6,9a-dimethyl-4,5,5a,7,8,9-hexahydro-1H-benzo[e][2]benzofuran-3-one 162900659 Click to see 282.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
7-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6,9a-dimethyl-5,5a,7,8,9,9b-hexahydro-1H-benzo[e][2]benzofuran-3-one 15560376 Click to see 266.33 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.1550
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Isoflav-2-enes / Isoflavones
Tlatlancuayin 12444409 Click to see COC1=CC=CC=C1C2=COC3=CC4=C(C(=C3C2=O)OC)OCO4 326.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600640504

Gallery Top

We don't have an image yet. Upload an image!

Contributors Top

No known contributors. Be the first!

Collections Top

In private collections 0
In public collections 0
You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.