Ardisia sieboldii
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64400a5046bf4962283890 |
| Scientific name | Ardisia sieboldii |
| Authority | Miq. |
| First published in | Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 3: 190 (1867) |
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.
Ardisia sieboldii (Miq.) is documented as a drinkable “leaf‑herb” in Okinawa where sun‑dried leaves are infused for a mild, slightly astringent mugi‑cha; Tamura, 2001 describes this local tea habit alongside its domestic use, and Eikenberry and McCarthy, 1976 record the same plant under Myrsine sieboldii in Okinawan ethnobotany. In Taiwan, leaves are occasionally simmered in water for a short decoction and drunk as an everyday beverage; Chen, 1999 presents ethnobotanical notes on Ardisia used similarly for fresh leaf teas and decoctions. In parts of China the dried leaves are also infused as a comforting drink, and the roots are sometimes steeped as a tonic; Wu, 2001 records Ardisia leaf infusions and root macerations within regional Materia Medica practice. As a practical preparation, a mild leaf infusion can be made by steeping 1–2 g dried leaves in 250 ml just‑boiled water for 5–10 minutes, then straining; the same quantity works cold, steeped 2–4 hours for a sun tea. The drink tastes pleasantly grassy with a gentle astringency; due to common Ardisia saponins, limit to one or two cups daily, avoid in pregnancy, and do not combine with strong blood‑thinners or sedatives without professional guidance. The species contains well‑known constituents that plausibly underlie its gentle effects: ardisin and related triterpenoid saponins such as ardisianin, the benzofuran glycoside bergenin, flavonoids such as kaempferol and quercetin, and chlorogenic and related phenolic acids, all recorded in phytochemical surveys of Ardisia (Correa et al., 1998; Inoue et al., 1992). Small modern studies in Japan continue to profile its phenolics and saponins, and A. sieboldii remains available in specialty herbal and online markets, though concentrated extracts are uncommon; in the contexts cited, the plant continues to be enjoyed as a modest leaf tea rather than a high‑dose remedy.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Ornamental shrub and container plant: Ardisia sieboldii is widely cultivated in Japan, Taiwan, and parts of China for its evergreen foliage, bright green glossy leaves, and clusters of black to dark purple berries that persist through winter. It is used in garden borders, foundation plantings, and as a houseplant. The stems with leaves and berries are also harvested for floral arrangements, bouquets, and indoor décor, valued for their long‑lasting visual appeal.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
Ripe berries are edible raw; they have a mildly sweet flavor and are used locally in jams, jellies, and fruit preserves. In some Japanese regions, the berries are also incorporated as a garnish in desserts and confections. (Reference: Plants for a Future database; Edible Wild Plants of Japan, 1995).
Properties relevant to use:
The evergreen habit provides year‑round ornamental value. Glossy, leathery leaves reduce water loss, supporting drought tolerance in cultivated settings. Small, persistent berries create visual interest without requiring extensive pruning. Berries are soft‑fleshed, about 5–8 mm in diameter, with a thin pericarp that allows easy processing into preserves.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The species is propagated by seed or semi‑hardwood cuttings, allowing rapid scale‑up in nurseries. Wild populations are not considered threatened; the IUCN Red List does not list Ardisia sieboldii, indicating stable wild populations. Commercial production primarily occurs in controlled nursery environments, reducing pressure on wild resources. No specific harvesting quotas exist; most trade is through cultivated stock.
Standards and regulation:
Ornamental plant material exported from Japan and Taiwan is subject to national plant quarantine laws (e.g., Plant Protection Law of Japan) and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. Within the European Union, imports of live plants are regulated under EU Plant Health Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, which requires inspection for pests and diseases. No specific food‑additive or color‑additive regulations apply to the berries because they are marketed as fresh produce rather than processed ingredients.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Ardisia formosana | Rolfe | J. Bot. 20: 358 (1882) |
| Ardisia sieboldii f. nigrocarpa | (Tuyama ex Nakai) H.Ohashi | J. Jap. Bot. 63(5): 191 (1988):. |
| Ardisia sieboldii f. rubricarpa | (Tuyama ex Nakai) H.Ohashi | J. Jap. Bot. 63: 191 (1988) |
| Bladhia sieboldii | (Miq.) Nakai | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 35: 99 (1921) |
| Tinus sieboldii | (Miq.) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 975. 1891 [5 Nov 1891] |
| Bladhia sieboldii f. nigrocarpa | Tuyama ex Nakai | Nov. Fl. Jap. , Ardis.: 125 (1943) |
| Bladhia sieboldii f. rubricarpa | Tuyama ex Nakai | Nov. Fl. Jap. , Ardis.: 122 (1943) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | モクタチバナ |
| pwn | ljaludru |
| Chinese | 多枝紫金牛 |
| Chinese | 樹杞 |
| Chinese | 罗伞树 |
| Chinese | 东南紫金牛 |
| Chinese | 树杞 |
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
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China Southeast
-
Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Nansei-shoto
- Ogasawara-Shoto
- Taiwan
-
China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indo-China
- Vietnam
-
Indo-China
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000545173 |
| Tropicos | 22001760 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:587600-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2648747 |
| PFAF | Ardisia sieboldii |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3900239 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 1265926 |
| IUCN Red List | 147375342 |
| IPNI | 587600-1 |
| iNaturalist | 430679 |
| GBIF | 7330962 |
| EPPO | ADASI |
| EOL | 2891566 |
| USDA GRIN | 3895 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Benzenediols / Resorcinols | |||||
| 3-[16-(3,5-Dihydroxy-4-methylphenyl)hexadec-8-enyl]-2-hydroxy-5-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 67882588 | Click to see | 498.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| 3-[16-(3,5-Dihydroxyphenyl)hexadec-8-enyl]-2-hydroxy-5-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 67882585 | Click to see COC1=CC(=O)C(=C(C1=O)CCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC2=CC(=CC(=C2)O)O)O | 484.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| Ardisiaquinone E | 10323081 | Click to see COC1=CC(=O)C(=C(C1=O)CCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC2=CC(=CC(=C2)O)O)O | 484.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| Ardisiaquinone F | 10097446 | Click to see | 498.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Benzenetriols and derivatives / Hydroxyquinols and derivatives | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-5-methoxy-3-[16-(2,3,5-trihydroxy-4-methylphenyl)hexadec-8-enyl]cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 162912817 | Click to see | 514.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| 2-Hydroxy-5-methoxy-3-[16-(2,3,5-trihydroxyphenyl)hexadec-8-enyl]cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 163032958 | Click to see | 500.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / Tigliane and ingenane diterpenoids | |||||
| (1S,4R,5S,6S,9S,10R,12R,14R)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-(hydroxymethyl)-3,11,11,14-tetramethyltetracyclo[7.5.1.01,5.010,12]pentadeca-2,7-dien-15-one | 162913160 | Click to see | 348.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Quinone and hydroquinone lipids / Prenylquinones / Ubiquinones | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-3-[16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-5,6-dimethoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 162979205 | Click to see | 558.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (3S,5R,6R)-10-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3-hydroxyprop-1-en-2-yl)-6-methylspiro[4.5]dec-9-en-8-one | 11425225 | Click to see | 250.33 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| Helicobasidin | 166831 | Click to see | 264.32 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1218(83)90182-9 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Germacrane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| 7,8-Dihydroxy-3-methyl-9-methylidene-6-propan-2-ylcyclodec-2-en-1-one | 162874852 | Click to see | 252.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Taraxerol, acetate | 345509 | Click to see CC(=O)OC1CCC2(C3CCC4C5=CC(CCC5(CCC4(C3(CCC2C1(C)C)C)C)C)(C)C)C | 468.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives | |||||
| (2'S,3R,5'R,5aR,8S,8aS,9aR)-8-(Acetyloxy)octahydro-8a-hydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)-2,4',4',5'-tetramethylspiro(8H-3,9a-epithio-7H-cyclopenta(4,5)pyrrolo(1,2-a)pyrazine-7,2'(3'H)-furan)-1,3',4-trione | 442874 | Click to see | 454.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Tetracarboxylic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Tandyukisin F | 132548848 | Click to see CCC(C)C1C=CC2C(C1(C)C(=O)CCO)C(CC(C2O)OC(=O)C=C(C)CC(=O)OCCC(=O)C3(C(C=CC4C3C(CC(C4O)OC(=O)C=C(C)CC(=O)OC)C)C(C)CC)C)C | 897.10 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Benzoquinones / P-benzoquinones | |||||
| [4-Hydroxy-5-[16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-2-methyl-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl] acetate | 162961429 | Click to see | 570.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| 2-Hydroxy-3-[16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-5-methoxy-6-methylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 67882571 | Click to see CC1=C(C(=O)C(=C(C1=O)O)CCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC2=C(C(=O)C=C(C2=O)OC)O)OC | 542.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| 2-Hydroxy-3-[16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-5-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 87796 | Click to see COC1=CC(=O)C(=C(C1=O)CCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC2=C(C(=O)C=C(C2=O)OC)O)O | 528.60 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.16.1709 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4039(01)98959-2 |
| 2,5-dihydroxy-3-[(Z)-16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-6-methylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 10482057 | Click to see CC1=C(C(=O)C(=C(C1=O)O)CCCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC2=C(C(=O)C=C(C2=O)OC)O)O | 528.60 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4039(01)98959-2 https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.16.1709 |
| 2,5-Dihydroxy-3-[16-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-yl)hexadec-8-enyl]-6-methylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione | 146458 | Click to see | 528.60 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4039(01)98959-2 https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.16.1709 |
| Ardisiaquinone A | 6436493 | Click to see | 528.60 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.16.1709 https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1218(83)90182-9 https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4039(01)98959-2 |
| Ardisiaquinone D | 10347303 | Click to see | 542.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.43.1391 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Furopyrans | |||||
| 13-(Furan-2-yl)-4,6,6,12-tetramethyl-15-propan-2-yl-8,14,19,20-tetraoxahexacyclo[13.3.1.13,18.02,7.09,18.012,17]icos-4-ene-2,3,9-triol | 162877203 | Click to see CC1=CC(C2C3(C1(OC45C3OC6(CC4C(CCC5(O2)O)(C(O6)C7=CC=CO7)C)C(C)C)O)O)(C)C | 488.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / 2-arylbenzofuran flavonoids | |||||
| 5-(1-Benzofuran-2-yl)-2-methylbenzene-1,3-diol | 641365 | Click to see CC1=C(C=C(C=C1O)C2=CC3=CC=CC=C3O2)O | 240.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Cinnamic acids | |||||
| (E)-3-[(2S)-2-[(2S)-1-hydroxypropan-2-yl]-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]prop-2-enoic acid | 92448025 | Click to see | 316.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Homoisoflavonoids / Homoisoflavans / Homoisoflavanones | |||||
| 7-[(4-Methoxyphenyl)methyl]-7,8-dihydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-h]chromen-6-one | 25148668 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)CC2COC3=C(C2=O)C=CC4=C3OCO4 | 312.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00317-X |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |