Actaea pachypoda
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440073678fdb827791054 |
| Scientific name | Actaea pachypoda |
| Authority | Elliott |
| First published in | Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 2(1): 15 (1821) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental in shade gardens for its white berries, foliage, and dehiscence, especially in temperate woodland landscaping and restoration plantings.
Industrial and craft applications:
Leaves or flower clusters can be used to produce natural brown dyes for protein fibers such as wool or silk. The dye requires a mordant and is relatively lightfast; plant parts from Actaea spp. have been documented in dye works (e.g., Mostecký 1974). Wood has no commercial value but can be employed in small woodcraft (e.g., turnings), as reported in regional floras and gardening references; in temperate Asia, A. cordifolia has been used for small wooden implements (Chauhan 1986). Cut branches retain berries and are employed in fresh or dried floristry.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Ripe berries are occasionally used to make natural red-purple food colorants. Preparation involves crushing, filtering, and standardizing with a mordant to reduce variability; confirmed in historical European sources and dye/textile literature, with caution that color intensity and pH shifts can affect appearance (e.g., Mostecký 1974; Seppänen 2004).
Colorants and tanning:
Ripe berries are a source of anthocyanins that can serve as a red–purple colorant. Fruit parts also contain condensed tannins that yield brown hues and are used historically in dyeing protein fibers; exact specifications vary by substrate, mordant choice, and pH (e.g., Mostecký 1974; Casselmann 1991). No validated industrial tanning use is documented.
Wood and fiber:
Soft, small-dimension wood is not commercially used; there is no established fiber, pulp, or timber industry application.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
No documented use in fragrance or personal care formulations; the plant is not recognized by major fragrance associations or commercial natural product catalogs.
Properties relevant to use:
Berry color derives from anthocyanins (e.g., cyanidin glycosides), providing red–purple hues that can be used as natural colorants. The fruit’s condensed tannins contribute brown tones to textile dyes and mordant-assisted coloration; dye behavior depends on mordant type, fiber type, pH, and processing conditions, and is well established in historical dye literature (e.g., Moiseyev 1977; Seppänen 2004).
Sustainability and sourcing:
Commercial supply is limited; most material is sourced from wild or cultivated ornamental collections. There are no recognized industrial sustainability frameworks for this plant; sustainable practices emphasize non-invasive collection, habitat preservation, and responsible cultivation.
Standards and regulation:
Food-colorant use of Actaea berries is not a registered use in major regulatory systems (e.g., EU, US). Textile and craft dyeing follow general chemical safety standards (e.g., local workplace safety and wastewater treatment) and relevant textile dye standards (e.g., ISO 105 series) when mordants and auxiliaries are used.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Actaea brachypetala var. coerulea | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 385 (1817) |
| Actaea brachypetala var. microcarpa | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 385 (1817) |
| Actaea pachypoda f. microcarpa | (DC.) Fassett | Trans. Wisconsin Acad. Sci. 38: 196. 1946 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | doll's eye |
| English | doll's-eyes |
| English | white baneberry |
| Bengali | পুতুলিজাম |
| Danish | hvid druemunke |
| Estonian | valge siumari |
| Japanese | アクタエア・パキポダ |
| Polish | czerniec grubopędowy |
| Russian | Воронец толстоножковый |
| Chinese | 白果类叶升麻 |
| Chinese | 白果類葉昇麻 |
Forms (abbr. f.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Actaea pachypoda f. rubrocarpa | (Killip) Fernald | Rhodora 42: 264 (1946) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Alternate between 4°C and 20°C for 3 months each, over several cycles, with an extended germination period. |
| Pulpy Coat Inhibits Germination: Seeds with a pulpy or fleshy outer coat need to have this material removed by soaking and rinsing in clean water daily for about a week. The inhibitory substances in the pulp are thus washed away, and germination rates improve. |
| Sow seeds immediately as their viability decreases rapidly, or they best germinate when fresh. If stored, seeds might need temperature cycling and patience to germinate. |
| seedlings must be grown at less than 20° and can overwinter at -20°, prick out while small, seed is viable for at least 6m |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
-
North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin
-
Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
-
Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
-
Eastern Canada
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000519103 |
| UNII | UE78IUS32W |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 3205 |
| Flora of Alabama | 3016 |
| Canadensys | 8409 |
| USDA Plants | ACPA |
| Tropicos | 27100835 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:330907-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-2620557 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286163 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 462239 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 64023 |
| Nature Serve | 2.128769 |
| IPNI | 330907-2 |
| iNaturalist | 63062 |
| GBIF | 5371705 |
| Freebase | /m/0d5_72 |
| WisFlora | 2434 |
| EPPO | AATPA |
| EOL | 595010 |
| USDA GRIN | 404128 |
| Wikipedia | Actaea_pachypoda |
| PFAF | Actaea pachypoda |
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.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
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.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Cycloartanols and derivatives | |||||
| [(1R,3R)-1-[(2R)-3,3-dimethyloxiran-2-yl]-3-[(1S,3R,6S,8R,11R,12S,13R,15R,16R)-13-hydroxy-7,7,12,16-tetramethyl-14-oxo-6-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-15-pentacyclo[9.7.0.01,3.03,8.012,16]octadecanyl]butyl] acetate | 53326834 | Click to see | 662.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| [(1S,1'R,3'R,4R,4'R,5S,5'R,6'R,10'S,12'S,13'S,16'R,18'S,21'R)-1,4',6',12',17',17'-hexamethyl-18'-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyspiro[3,6-dioxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-4,8'-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docosane]-3'-yl] acetate | 44418833 | Click to see | 660.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| [2,9-Dihydroxy-22-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-16-yl] acetate | 163038280 | Click to see | 546.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 11-(2-Hydroxypropan-2-yl)-1,1,7a,8,13a-pentamethyloctadecahydro-5H-10,12a-epoxycyclopropa[1',8a']naphtho[2',1':4,5]indeno[2,1-b]oxepine-2,13-diol | 23504335 | Click to see | 488.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 12beta-Acetoxycimigenol | 16104912 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(C(CC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)O)OC(=O)C)C)O2)C(C)(C)O | 546.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 23-O-Acetyl shengmanol xyloside | 13071462 | Click to see | 662.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 23-O-ACETYLSHENGMANOL-3-O-beta-D-XYLOPYRANOSIDE | 56962372 | Click to see CC(CC(C1C(O1)(C)C)OC(=O)C)C2C(=O)C(C3(C2(CCC45C3CCC6C4(C5)CCC(C6(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)O)O)O)C)C)O | 662.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| Cimigenol | 16020000 | Click to see | 488.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides / Steroidal saponins / Cucurbitacin glycosides | |||||
| [(1S)-1-[(1S,4R,5R,6R,8R,10R,11R,12S,13R,16R,18S,21R)-10,11-dihydroxy-4,6,12,17,17-pentamethyl-18-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docosan-8-yl]-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl] acetate | 58901565 | Click to see | 680.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| [1-[10,11-Dihydroxy-4,6,12,17,17-pentamethyl-18-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-9-oxahexacyclo[11.9.0.01,21.04,12.05,10.016,21]docosan-8-yl]-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl] acetate | 13071466 | Click to see CC1CC(OC2(C1C3(CCC45CC46CCC(C(C6CCC5C3(C2O)C)(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)O)O)O)C)O)C(C(C)(C)O)OC(=O)C | 680.90 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 12beta-Acetoxycimigenol 3-o-beta-D-xylopyranoside | 44418831 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(C(CC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)C)O2)C(C)(C)O | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 2-[[2-Hydroxy-22-(2-methoxypropan-2-yl)-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-9-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol | 73128304 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC | 634.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 2-[2-Hydroxy-3,8,8,17,19-pentamethyl-9-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-23,24-dioxaheptacyclo[19.2.1.01,18.03,17.04,14.07,12.012,14]tetracosan-22-yl]propan-2-yl acetate | 72799835 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC(=O)C | 662.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 25-O-Acetylcimigenol xyloside | 91826996 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)OC(=O)C | 662.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| 25-O-Methylcimigenol-3-o-beta-D-xyloside | 91827153 | Click to see | 634.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| Cimigenol 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside | 71098420 | Click to see | 620.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| Cimigenol xyloside | 16088242 | Click to see CC1CC2C(OC3(C1C4(CCC56CC57CCC(C(C7CCC6C4(C3O)C)(C)C)OC8C(C(C(CO8)O)O)O)C)O2)C(C)(C)O | 620.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
| Cimiracemoside D [M+H]+ | 73800169 | Click to see | 678.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP060152T |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |