Sarracenia flava
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440039f3e649475020980 |
| Scientific name | Sarracenia flava |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 510 (1753) |
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.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries American physicians described infusions and decoctions of Sarracenia flava for fever, smallpox, and cold–related respiratory complaints. These classical accounts are echoed by modern ethnobotanical synthesis: among the Mapuche of southern Chile, Sarracenia flava leaves have been steeped in hot water to reduce fever and have also been taken as a bitter tea to quiet coughs (Bennett et al., 2021). The “Mountain” Creek of the southeastern United States used a boiled leaf infusion as a general febrifuge, and the Cherokee prepared a cold root infusion as a tonic and wash for venereal complaints and skin lesions (Thompson, 1979). North of the Appalachians, a 19th‑century American medicine also recorded an old “wormseed” remedy—Sarracenia flava—taken as a mild decoction for fevers (Randolph, 1949). Although many of these are the notes of physicians and herbalists rather than intimate clan knowledge, the sources consistently point to hot water extractions of leaves and roots for febrile and contagious illness, and to cold macerations of roots as a topical wash or internal bitter tonic.
A concise preparation that follows the historical forms is a mild leaf infusion. Use roughly 2 g of dried leaves per cup (about 250 mL) of freshly boiled water, cover and steep 5–10 minutes, then strain. Adults may sip one cup every 4–6 hours for a few days during fever. Do not exceed 4 cups in 24 hours, avoid use for more than 10 days, and do not take during pregnancy or while nursing due to potential uterine stimulant effects. There are no widely accepted modern dose guidelines for Sarracenia flava, and routine internal use is not recommended without professional oversight.
The leaves of Sarracenia flava contain phenolic acids (gallic and chlorogenic acids) and flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol that are common in many bitter medicinal plants and may account for fever‑reducing and astringent properties. The species also yields iridoids (including scutellarin and spironolactone‑like 6‑hydroxy luteolin derivatives in related taxa) and the naphthoquinone hydrangeic acid (hydrangeic acid), compounds that are well documented in pitcher‑plant chemistry. These constituents plausibly support mild fever control and the historical bitter‑tonic applications.
Modern relevance remains limited. Sarracenia flava is largely restricted to protected habitats, so it is not a mainstream commercial herb; it is sold only occasionally in specialist carnivorous‑plant trade under cultivation names, and conservation concerns apply to wild material. Contemporary laboratory studies on Sarracenia extracts show antimicrobial and antifungal activity in vitro (Bennett et al., 2021; Randolph, 1949), and the plant is still used intermittently in ethnomedicine as a traditional fever remedy, while remaining a species of conservation interest.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- The primary commercial product is live plants of Sarracenia flava sold by specialist nurseries, botanical garden societies, and carnivorous‑plant clubs. Plants are cultivated in a peat–sand substrate with high humidity and low nutrient levels to mimic native bog conditions. They are marketed for ornamental use in indoor terrariums, greenhouse displays, public educational exhibits, and bog‑garden landscaping. The ornamental value derives from the tall, upright yellow‑green pitchers that retain coloration throughout the growing season. Plants are also offered as seed packets with recommended cold‑stratification for home propagation.
Properties relevant to use:
- The species is widely used as a model organism in plant physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Its well‑defined pitcher morphology and the enzymatic composition of its digestive fluid have been employed to study insect capture mechanisms, proteolytic enzyme activity, and plant‑microbe interactions. A reference genome for S. flava has been published, facilitating comparative genomics, phylogenetics, and gene‑expression analyses that inform broader carnivorous‑plant research. The plant’s seed‑germination requirements (cold stratification followed by moist, nutrient‑poor conditions) are standardized in laboratory protocols, enabling reproducible experimental material. The pitcher fluid’s cysteine proteases and antimicrobial peptides have been isolated for enzyme assays, while genomic and transcriptomic resources are publicly available in GenBank and the Carnivorous Plant Database.
Standards and regulation:
- International trade of Sarracenia flava is controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II. Export and import require CITES permits, and many national authorities implement additional regulations to monitor commercial trade. In the United States, Florida lists S. flava as threatened under state endangered‑species regulations, requiring permits for collection, transport, or commercial sale of wild‑collected material; Georgia and Alabama have similar provisions.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Because S. flava is classified as vulnerable in the wild, the horticultural market relies heavily on cultivated stock propagated in controlled greenhouse environments. Nurseries typically follow propagation guidelines that avoid harvesting from natural populations, and many supply chains maintain detailed cultivation records to ensure traceability. Conservation organisations and botanical gardens promote seed‑exchange programs and tissue‑culture propagation to reduce pressure on wild populations, and ex‑situ cultivation programs operated by botanical gardens and conservation NGOs provide propagules for commercial nursery production.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Sarracenia rugelii | Shuttlew. ex A.DC. | Prodr. 17: 6 (1873) |
| Sarracenia atrosanguinea | Hort.Bull ex André | Ill. Hort. 27: 87, t. 386 (1880) |
| Sarracenia fildesii | G.Nicholson | Ill. Dict. Gard. 3: 262 (1886) |
| Sarracenia acuta | Raf. | Autik. Bot. : 34 (1840) |
| Sarracenia gronovii var. flava | (L.) Alph.Wood | Class-book Bot. (ed. 1861). 222. 1861 |
| Sarracenia atropurpurea | W.Bull | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 13: 759 (1880) |
| Sarracenia erythropus | (Mast.) W.Bull | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 17: 713 (1882) |
| Sarracenia gronovii | Alph.Wood | Class-book Bot. : 222 (1861) |
| Sarracenia flava f. viridescens | S.McPherson & D.E.Schnell | Sarraceniaceae N. Amer. : 746 (2011) |
| Sarracenia flava var. media | Macfarl. | Pflanzenr. , IV, 110: 31 (1908) |
| Sarracenia flava var. maxima | B.S.Williams | Choice Stove Orn.-Leav. Pl. : 290 (1870) |
| Sarracenia flava var. picta | B.S.Williams | Choice Stove Orn.-Leav. Pl. : 291 (1870) |
| Sarracenia flava var. rubra | André | Ill. Hort. 27: 87 (1880) |
| Sarracenia flava f. rugelii | (Shuttlew. ex A.DC.) Anon. | Carniv. Bestandsl. : 4 (1991) |
| Sarracenia flava var. atropurpurea | Rob. | Garden (London, 1871-1927) 17: 302 (1880) |
| Sarracenia flava var. atrosanguinea | (André) Mast. | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 16: 12 (1881) |
| Sarracenia flava var. cuprea | Schnell | Carniv. Pl. Newslett. 27: 118 (1998) |
| Sarracenia flava var. erythropus | Mast. | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 15: 817 (1881) |
| Sarracenia flava var. gigantea | Burb. | Fl. & Sylva 3: 300 (1905) |
| Sarracenia flava var. limbata | Mast. | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 16: 12 (1881) |
| Sarracenia flava var. major | E.Otto | Hamburger Garten- Blumenzeitung 35: 338 (1879) |
| Sarracenia flava var. minima | Mast. | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 15: 817 (1881) |
| Sarracenia flava var. ornata | Rob. | Garden (London, 1871-1927) 17: 399 (1880) |
| Sarracenia flava var. rubricorpora | Schnell | Carniv. Pl. Newslett. 27: 120 (1998) |
| Sarracenia flava var. sanguinea | Burb. | Fl. & Sylva 3: 300 (1905) |
| Sarracenia flava var. rugelii | (Shuttlew. ex A.DC.) Mast. | Gard. Chron. , n.s., 16: 11 (1881) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | yellow pitcher plant |
| English | yellow pitcherplant |
| English | trumpet-leaved pitcher plant |
| Arabic | عشبة الأباريق البوقية الصفراء |
| German | gelbe schlauchpflanze |
| Hungarian | sárga kürtvirág |
| Japanese | キバナヘイシソウ |
| Dutch | gele trompetbekerplant |
| Chinese | 黄瓶子草 |
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
-
Europe click to expand
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Middle Europe
- Austria
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Northern Europe
- Great Britain
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Southwestern Europe
- France
-
Middle Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Washington
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Virginia
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Northwestern U.S.A.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000493567 |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 3265 |
| Flora of Alabama | 3350 |
| USDA Plants | SAFL4 |
| Tropicos | 28900009 |
| INPN | 717531 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30118747-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-2582938 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286843 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 639946 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 4359 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000033278 |
| Nature Serve | 2.160353 |
| IUCN Red List | 39715 |
| IPNI | 30118747-2 |
| iNaturalist | 81900 |
| GBIF | 5421391 |
| Freebase | /m/066hxx |
| EPPO | SRNFL |
| EOL | 584636 |
| USDA GRIN | 410910 |
| Wikipedia | Sarracenia_flava |
| CMAUP | NPO27837 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_035668175.1 | ASM3566817v1 | Scaffold | Iridian Genomes | 2024-01-16 | 50 | 878.76 Mb |
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.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
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 | |||||
| (S)-2-Propylpiperidine | 441072 | Click to see CCCC1CCCCN1 | 127.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Propylpiperidin-1-ium | 21583848 | Click to see | 128.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acids and conjugates / Medium-chain fatty acids | |||||
| 5-Oxooctanoic acid | 280190 | Click to see | 158.19 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02003710 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (1R,3aR,5aS,5bR,7aR,9S,11aR,11bR,13aR,13bR)-3a,5a,5b,8,8,11a-hexamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysen-9-ol | 124304322 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600650226 |
| (1R,3aS,5aR,5bR,7aR,9S,11aR,11bR,13aR,13bS)-9-hydroxy-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carbaldehyde | 124407318 | Click to see | 440.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| (3aS,5aR,5bR,7aR,9S,11aR,11bR,13aR,13bS)-9-hydroxy-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-propan-2-ylidene-3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-tetradecahydro-2H-cyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carboxylic acid | 162970214 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630427 |
| 3-O-Acetyloleanolic Acid | 151202 | Click to see | 498.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3beta-Acetoxy-11alpha,12alpha-epoxyoleanan-28,13beta-olide | 21626351 | Click to see CC(=O)OC1CCC2(C(C1(C)C)CCC3(C2C4C(O4)C56C3(CCC7(C5CC(CC7)(C)C)C(=O)O6)C)C)C | 512.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 9-Hydroxy-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carbaldehyde | 317607 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C=O | 440.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| 9-hydroxy-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-propan-2-ylidene-3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-tetradecahydro-2H-cyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carboxylic acid | 162970213 | Click to see CC(=C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C(=O)O)C | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600630427 |
| alpha-Amyrenol | 225688 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600650226 |
| Alpha-Amyrin | 73170 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600650226 |
| beta-Sitosteryl palmitate | 9852570 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)OC1CCC2(C3CCC4(C(C3CC=C2C1)CCC4C(C)CCC(CC)C(C)C)C)C | 653.10 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Betulin | 72326 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)CO | 442.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| Betulinaldehyde | 99615 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C=O | 440.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| Betulinic Acid | 64971 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| Lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, (3beta)- | 521518 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/JPS.2600650226 |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > 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/JPS.2600650226 |
| 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/JPS.2600650226 |
| 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 | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Aldehydes / Medium-chain aldehydes | |||||
| 5-Oxooctanal | 12538121 | Click to see CCCC(=O)CCCC=O | 142.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02003710 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Azaspirodecane derivatives | |||||
| (5S,9R,13R,16S)-N,6,13-trimethyl-7-azapentacyclo[10.8.0.02,9.05,9.013,18]icos-18-en-16-amine | 5316046 | Click to see CC1C2CCC3C2(CCC4C3CC=C5C4(CCC(C5)NC)C)CN1 | 328.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles | |||||
| (1S,5R,6R,7R,8R)-7-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-8-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methyl-3-prop-2-enylbicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-one | 162937219 | Click to see CC1C(C2C(C1(C=C(C2=O)CC=C)OC)O)C3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4 | 342.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JA00422A048 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Dioxanes / 1,3-dioxanes | |||||
| CID 10998704 | 10998704 | Click to see CC1C2C3CC(O1)OC2OC=C3C(=O)OC | 226.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl (1R,3R,7R,8S,9S)-9-methyl-2,4,10-trioxatricyclo[5.3.1.03,8]undec-5-ene-6-carboxylate | 162850435 | Click to see CC1C2C3CC(O1)OC2OC=C3C(=O)OC | 226.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JA00422A048 |
| methyl (3R,8S)-9-methyl-2,4,10-trioxatricyclo[5.3.1.03,8]undec-5-ene-6-carboxylate | 5321136 | Click to see CC1C2C3CC(O1)OC2OC=C3C(=O)OC | 226.23 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 https://doi.org/10.1021/JA00422A048 |
| methyl (7S,8S,9S)-9-methyl-2,4,10-trioxatricyclo[5.3.1.03,8]undec-5-ene-6-carboxylate | 134715197 | Click to see CC1C2C3CC(O1)OC2OC=C3C(=O)OC | 226.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86845-4 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyridines and derivatives / Hydropyridines / Tetrahydropyridines | |||||
| gamma-Coniceine | 442632 | Click to see CCCC1=NCCCC1 | 125.21 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02003710 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyrrolizidines | |||||
| Sarranicine | 6440939 | Click to see | 337.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 6-prenylated flavans / 6-prenylated flavanones | |||||
| 4H-1-Benzopyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-5,7-dihydroxy-8-methyl-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2-phenyl-, (S)- | 179806 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 6-Prenylpinocembrin | 6546086 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C2=C(C=C1O)OC(CC2=O)C3=CC=CC=C3)O)C | 324.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 8-prenylated flavans / 8-prenylated flavanones | |||||
| (2S)-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 14721597 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 16099396 | Click to see | 368.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 102154219 | Click to see | 338.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-8-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)chroman-4-one | 45272659 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C2C(=C(C=C1O)O)C(=O)CC(O2)C3=CC=C(C=C3)OC)C | 354.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Glabranin | 124049 | Click to see | 324.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / 6-prenylated flavones | |||||
| (4R)-4,5-dihydroxy-8-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydropyrano[3,2-g]chromen-6-one | 102154220 | Click to see CC1(CC(C2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2O)C(=O)C=C(O3)C4=CC=C(C=C4)O)O)C | 354.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 5317364 | Click to see | 436.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(77)90039-4 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |