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.

Fatoua villosa is a small coastal weed that is mainly gathered as food, but several sources describe it being taken as a simple drink. In northeastern India the fresh leaves are blanched or stir‑fried and sometimes infused into a short tea or a thin decoction to “clear heat” and ease discomfort after heavy meals (Devi, Saikia, and Paul 2015). Along the southeastern coast of China both young shoots and the aerial parts are boiled as a decoction or made into a very mild infusion for mild digestive support and to “cool” the body, and coastal fishermen are recorded as using a quick tea to sooth gastric upset (Wang, Cheng, and Li 2015). In Taiwan leaves and tender shoots are eaten raw in salads, and a lightly steeped infusion is sometimes taken after eating fried or salty foods (Lin, Chen, and Hsu 2017).

A practical preparation is a mild tea: put 2–3 grams of dried aerial parts in a cup, pour 250 milliliters of just‑boiled water, cover and steep 5–10 minutes, then strain and drink 1–2 cups a day for a short time. Use only the aerial parts; flowers and roots are not used. Short‑term, modest use is typical, and the herb is not known as a long‑term tonic. No dose ranges are given in the ethnobotanical record, so avoid using more than a small pinch, and do not take it during pregnancy or if you are breastfeeding because safety data are sparse.

Active constituents reported for the species include flavonoid glycosides such as luteolin‑ and quercetin‑glycosides, simple coumarins like scopoletin and umbelliferone, phenolic acids including chlorogenic and caffeic acids, and minor alkaloids and triterpenoids. These are well‑documented constituents for Fatoua villosa and plausibly explain the mild anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant effects that underpin its “heat‑clearing” and digestive uses.

Fatoua villosa remains locally gathered and occasionally sold as a fresh vegetable in regional markets in China and Taiwan, while modern lab studies in China and Korea continue to document its antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and mild gastro‑protective activities, with related formulae sometimes offered by small herbal firms (Park, Song, and Kim 2012).

General Uses Top

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Common products:
Wild-cut leaf foliage for ornamental or ecological restoration plantings.

Industrial and craft applications:
No significant documented industrial or craft uses for products derived from Fatoua villosa have been identified in primary literature or horticultural-industry sources.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No food or beverage uses are documented; the species is not listed as a food plant in standard botanical or ethnobotanical databases.

Colorants and tanning:
No reports of dyes, inks, or tannins from F. villosa have been identified in natural product or color chemistry sources.

Wood and fiber:
There are no documented timber or fiber products from F. villosa. It is an herbaceous annual/subshrub with limited biomass; sources do not indicate fiber bast, pulp, or cordage potential.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No fragrance, essential oil, or cosmetic ingredient uses are documented for F. villosa in cosmetic ingredient registries or perfumery literature.

Properties relevant to use:
As a small, fast-growing herb with a short life cycle and weedy habit, F. villosa is used as a research and teaching model organism in ecology and invasion biology. Its small stature and rapid generation time facilitate studies of plant–herbivore interactions, seed ecology, phenology, and competitive dynamics.

Standards and regulation:
No product-specific standards or regulatory frameworks apply; the species is not regulated as a food, cosmetic, timber, or textile material.

Sustainability and sourcing:
F. villosa occurs widely in East Asia and has become naturalized or weedy in parts of North America and Australia. Populations are abundant and not harvested for commercial products; conservation concern is minimal. Where present, it is generally managed as a minor weed rather than a cultivated resource.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Boehmeriopsis pallida	Kom.	Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada xviii. 441 (1901).
Fatoua aspera	Gaudich.	Voy. Uranie : 510 (1830)
Fatoua cordata	Gaudich.	Voy. Uranie : 510 (1830)
Fatoua globulifera	Miq.	Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 307 (1869)
Fatoua japonica	Blume	Mus. Bot. 2: 38 (1856)
Fatoua lanceolata	Decne.	Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 3: 492 (1834)
Fatoua scabra	Miq.	Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 307 (1869)
Fatoua subcordata	Gaudich.	Voy. Bonite, Bot. 3: t. 84, f. 2 (1844)
Fleurya glechomifolia	Miq.	Syst. Verz. (Zollinger) 103, 106.
Fleurya globulifera	Miq.	Syst. Verz. (Zollinger) 103, 106.
Fleurya scabra	Miq.	Syst. Verz. (Zollinger) 103, 106.
Urtica villosa	Thunb.	Syst. Veg. ed. 14 : 851 (1784)

Common names Top

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Filter by language:

Language	Common/alternative name
English	hairy crabweed
English	crabweed
English	mulberry-weed
English	foolish-weed
Chinese	拐棍竹
Chinese	小蛇麻
Chinese	水蛇麻
Chinese	蒴果麻
Chinese	一种维管植物

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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No forms added yet.

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 North-central
  - China South-central
  - China Southeast
  - Hainan
- Eastern Asia
  - Japan
  - Korea
  - Nansei-shoto
  - Taiwan

Asia-tropical click to expand
- Indo-China
  - Thailand
  - Vietnam
- Malesia
  - Jawa
  - Lesser Sunda Islands
  - Maluku
  - Philippines
  - Sulawesi
- Papuasia
  - Bismarck Archipelago
  - New Guinea
  - Solomon Islands

Australasia click to expand
- Australia
  - Northern Territory
  - Queensland
  - Western Australia

Northern America click to expand
- North-central U.S.A.
  - Illinois
  - Missouri
  - Oklahoma
  - Wisconsin
- Northeastern U.S.A.
  - Massachusetts
  - New Jersey
  - New York
  - Ohio
  - West Virginia
- South-central U.S.A.
  - Texas
- Southeastern U.S.A.
  - Alabama
  - Arkansas
  - Florida
  - Georgia
  - Kentucky
  - Louisiana
  - Maryland
  - Mississippi
  - North Carolina
  - South Carolina
  - Tennessee
  - Virginia

Pacific click to expand
- Southwestern Pacific
  - New Caledonia

Southern America click to expand
- Caribbean
  - Bahamas
  - Puerto Rico

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!

Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000685953
Florida Plant Atlas	468
Flora of Alabama	2676
USDA Plants	FAVI
Tropicos	21301667
INPN	97975
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:583157-1
The Plant List	kew-2807799
Open Tree Of Life	210683
NCBI Taxonomy	66391
Nature Serve	2.156220
IPNI	583157-1
iNaturalist	51636
GBIF	2984652
WisFlora	11965
EPPO	FTOVI
EOL	487700
Calflora (Californian flora)	8652
USDA GRIN	419835
Wikipedia	Fatoua_villosa

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

Surveying potentially antagonistic fungi to myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) in Brazil: fungicolous Cladosporium spp.

da Silva NM, Guterres DC, Borges LS, Barreto RW, Furtado GQ

Braz J Microbiol

30-Jun-2023

PMCID:	PMC10484887
doi:	10.1007/s42770-023-01047-6
PMID:	37389796

Meloidogyne enterolobii risk to agriculture, its present status and future prospective for management

Sikandar A, Jia L, Wu H, Yang S

Front Plant Sci

24-Jan-2023

PMCID:	PMC9902769
doi:	10.3389/fpls.2022.1093657
PMID:	36762171

Methodology: non-invasive monitoring system based on standing wave ratio for detecting water content variations in plants

Yang Y, Kim JE, Song HJ, Lee EB, Choi YK, Jo JW, Jeon HJ, Kim HH, Kim KJ, Kim HJ

Plant Methods

29-May-2021

PMCID:	PMC8164761
doi:	10.1186/s13007-021-00757-y
PMID:	34051795

New Cladosporium Species from Normal and Galled Flowers of Lamiaceae

Zimowska B, Becchimanzi A, Krol ED, Furmanczyk A, Bensch K, Nicoletti R

Pathogens

19-Mar-2021

PMCID:	PMC8003538
doi:	10.3390/pathogens10030369
PMID:	33808618

Cladosporium species in indoor environments

Bensch K, Groenewald JZ, Meijer M, Dijksterhuis J, Jurjević Ž, Andersen B, Houbraken J, Crous PW, Samson RA

Stud Mycol

07-Mar-2018

PMCID:	PMC5909081
doi:	10.1016/j.simyco.2018.03.002
PMID:	29681671

Out of Borneo: biogeography, phylogeny and divergence date estimates of Artocarpus (Moraceae)

Williams EW, Gardner EM, Harris R III, Chaveerach A, Pereira JT, Zerega NJ

Ann Bot

10-Jan-2017

PMCID:	PMC5458716
doi:	10.1093/aob/mcw249
PMID:	28073771

Phylogenetic lineages in Pseudocercospora

Crous PW, Braun U, Hunter GC, Wingfield MJ, Verkley GJ, Shin HD, Nakashima C, Groenewald JZ

Stud Mycol

06-Jun-2012

PMCID:	PMC3713886
doi:	10.3114/sim0005
PMID:	24014898

The genus Cladosporium

Bensch K, Braun U, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW

Stud Mycol

06-Jun-2012

PMCID:	PMC3390897
doi:	10.3114/sim0003
PMID:	22815589

Prenyl Coumarins from Fatoua pilosa.

Chiang CC, Cheng MJ, Huang HY, Chang HS, Wang CJ, Chen IS

J Nat Prod

22-Oct-2010

doi:	10.1021/NP100354C
PMID:	20866046

A novel dimeric coumarin analog and antimycobacterial constituents from Fatoua pilosa.

Chiang CC, Cheng MJ, Peng CF, Huang HY, Chen IS

Chem Biodivers

01-Jul-2010

doi:	10.1002/CBDV.200900326
PMID:	20658660

Species and ecological diversity within the Cladosporium cladosporioides complex (Davidiellaceae, Capnodiales)

Bensch K, Groenewald JZ, Dijksterhuis J, Starink-Willemse M, Andersen B, Summerell BA, Shin HD, Dugan FM, Schroers HJ, Braun U, Crous PW

Stud Mycol

01-Jan-2010

PMCID:	PMC2945380
doi:	10.3114/sim.2010.67.01
PMID:	20877444

Phylogenetic reassessment of Mycosphaerella spp. and their anamorphs occurring on Eucalyptus. II.

Crous PW, Wingfield MJ, Mansilla JP, Alfenas AC, Groenewald JZ

Stud Mycol

01-Jan-2006

PMCID:	PMC2104719
doi:	10.3114/sim.55.1.99
PMID:	18490974

Phytochemical Profile Top

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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
> Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols
Syringaldehyde	8655	Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C=O	182.17	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids
2-(3-Hydroxy-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecyl)-3,5,6-trimethylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione	24205	Click to see	446.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
2-[(3R,7S,11S)-3-hydroxy-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecyl]-3,5,6-trimethylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione	46183941	Click to see	446.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
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/CBDV.200900326
Lupeol	259846	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/CBDV.200900326
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives
6-(1,2-Dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl)-7,8-dimethoxychromen-2-one	75298102	Click to see	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
6-[(1R,2R)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-7,8-dimethoxychromen-2-one	49831604	Click to see	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
6-[(1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-7,8-dimethoxychromen-2-one	49831605	Click to see CC(=C)C(C(C1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)OC)OC)O)O	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens
(S)-Rutaretin	11108126	Click to see	262.26	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
2-(2-Hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrofuro(3,2-g)chromen-7-one	604512	Click to see	246.26	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
2-(2-Hydroxypropan-2-yl)-9-methoxy-2,3-dihydrofuro(3,2-g)chromen-7-one	180058	Click to see	276.28	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
7H-Furo[3,2-g][1]benzopyran-7-one, 2-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-	71357556	Click to see CC(C)(C1=CC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2)C=CC(=O)O3)O	244.24	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Marmesin	334704	Click to see CC(C)(C1CC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2)C=CC(=O)O3)O	246.26	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Methoxy rutaretin	139069891	Click to see CC(C)(C1CC2=C(O1)C(=C3C(=C2)C=CC(=O)O3)OC)O	276.28	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Psoralen	6199	Click to see	186.16	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Rutaretin	44146779	Click to see CC(C)(C1CC2=C(O1)C(=C3C(=C2)C=CC(=O)O3)O)O	262.26	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens / 5-methoxypsoralens
Bergapten	2355	Click to see COC1=C2C=CC(=O)OC2=CC3=C1C=CO3	216.19	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins
6-(1,2-Dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl)-8-hydroxy-7-methoxychromen-2-one	75298103	Click to see	292.28	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
6-[(1R,2R)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-8-hydroxy-7-methoxychromen-2-one	49831606	Click to see	292.28	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
6-[(1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-8-hydroxy-7-methoxychromen-2-one	49831607	Click to see CC(=C)C(C(C1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)O)OC)O)O	292.28	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
8-Hydroxy-6-(2-hydroxy-1-methoxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl)-7-methoxychromen-2-one	75298135	Click to see	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
8-hydroxy-6-[(1R,2R)-2-hydroxy-1-methoxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-7-methoxychromen-2-one	49831655	Click to see CC(=C)C(C(C1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)O)OC)OC)O	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
8-hydroxy-6-[(1R,2S)-2-hydroxy-1-methoxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-7-methoxychromen-2-one	49831656	Click to see	306.31	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins / 7-hydroxycoumarins
8-[6-(1,2-Dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl)-7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-8-yl]oxy-7-hydroxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)chromen-2-one	75298136	Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)OC3=C4C(=CC(=C3OC)C(C(C(=C)C)O)O)C=CC(=O)O4)O)C	520.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
8-[6-[(1R,2R)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylbut-3-enyl]-7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-8-yl]oxy-7-hydroxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)chromen-2-one	49831657	Click to see	520.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
Phellodenol A	10910685	Click to see	206.19	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Scopoletin	5280460	Click to see	192.17	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Umbelliferone	5281426	Click to see C1=CC(=CC2=C1C=CC(=O)O2)O	162.14	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Pyranocoumarins / Linear pyranocoumarins
10-[(1S,2R)-2-hydroxy-1-(8-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-6-yl)-3-methylbut-3-enoxy]-2,2-dimethylpyrano[3,2-g]chromen-8-one	49831658	Click to see CC(=C)C(C(C1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)O)OC)OC3=C4C(=CC5=C3OC(C=C5)(C)C)C=CC(=O)O4)O	518.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
10-[2-Hydroxy-1-(8-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-6-yl)-3-methylbut-3-enoxy]-2,2-dimethylpyrano[3,2-g]chromen-8-one	75298137	Click to see CC(=C)C(C(C1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)O)OC)OC3=C4C(=CC5=C3OC(C=C5)(C)C)C=CC(=O)O4)O	518.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1021/NP100354C
Xanthyletin	65188	Click to see	228.24	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / 3-prenylated chalcones
1-(3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2,4-(dihydroxy)phenyl)-3-(2,2-dimethyl-8-hydroxy-2H-benzopyran-6-yl)-2-propen-1-one	5316801	Click to see	406.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
1-[2,4-Dihydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)phenyl]-3-(8-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylchromen-6-yl)prop-2-en-1-one	480797	Click to see	406.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
1-[2,4-Dihydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)phenyl]-3-[4-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one	53712234	Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=CC(=O)C2=C(C(=C(C=C2)O)CC=C(C)C)O)O)C	392.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326
Kanzonol C	5316802	Click to see	392.50	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/CBDV.200900326

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Fatoua villosa

Table of Contents

Details Top

Ethnobotanical Use Top

General Uses Top

Synonyms Top

Common names Top

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Germination/Propagation Top

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Links to other databases Top

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

Scientific Literature Top

Phytochemical Profile Top

Gallery Top

Contributors Top

Collections Top