Elephantopus is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae).Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 814 in LatinBaker, C. F. 1902. A revision of the Elephantopeae--1. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 12: plate IX line drawings of fruits of several species of Elephantopus and Pseudelephantopus (captions on page 56)Clonts, J. A. 1972. A Revision of the Genus Elephantopus Including Orthopappus and Pseudelephantopus (Compositae). Ph.D. thesis. Mississippi State University.
The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States,Flora of North America, Elephant’s foot, Elephantopus Linnaeus and at least one is native to India and the Himalayas.Flora of China Vol. 20-21 Page 368 地胆草属 di dan cao shu Elephantopus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 814. 1753. Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil . Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Uses Elephantopus scaber is a traditional medicine and other species, including E. mollis and E. carolinianus, have also been investigated for medicinal properties. Elephantopus scaber contains elephantopin which is a germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone containing two lactone rings and an epoxide functional group.
Etymology The genus name Elephantopus comes from the Greek words "elephantos" (elephant) and "pous" (foot). The term likely refers to the large basal leaves of some members of the genus.
Species Accepted species Elephantopus angolensis O.Hoffm. - Angola Elephantopus arenarius Britton & P.Wilson ex Britton - Cuba Elephantopus arenosus Krasch. - Brazil Elephantopus biflorus (Less.) Sch.Bip. - Brazil Elephantopus carolinianus Raeusch.- southeastern + south-central United States; Cuba, Puerto Rico Elephantopus dilatatus Gleason - Costa Rica, Panama Elephantopus elatus Bertol. - southeastern United States Elephantopus elongatus Gardner- Brazil Elephantopus hirtiflorus DC. - Brazil, Venezuela Elephantopus mendoncae Philipson - Angola Elephantopus micropappus Less.- Brazil Elephantopus mollis Kunth native to Latin America + West Indies; widely naturalized in tropics of Africa, Asia, Australia, various islands Elephantopus multisetus O.Hoffm. ex T.Durand & De Wild. - Angola, Zaire, Tanzania Elephantopus nudatus A.Gray - southeastern + south-central United States, east Texas to Maryland Elephantopus nudicaulis Poir. - Mexico Elephantopus palustris Gardner - Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay Elephantopus piauiensis R.Barros & Semir - Brazil Elephantopus pratensis C.Wright - Cuba Elephantopus racemosus Gardner- Brazil Elephantopus riparius Gardner- Brazil Elephantopus scaber L.- China, India, southeast Asia, northern Australia; naturalized in Africa, Madagascar, Latin America Elephantopus senegalensis (Klatt) Oliv. & Hiern- tropical Africa Elephantopus tomentosus L. - southern United States Elephantopus vernonioides S. Moore - Africa Elephantopus virgatus Desv. ex Ham. - Guyana Elephantopus welwitschii Hiern - Africa
Formerly placed here Orthopappus angustifolius (as Elephantopus angustifolius )
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