Aesculus chinensis explained

Aesculus chinensis, the Chinese horse chestnut or Chinese buckeye, is a deciduous temperate tree species in the genus Aesculus found across China.[1] It was first successfully introduced to Britain in 1912 by plant collector William Purdom, who collected six young plants from the grounds of a temple in the western hills of Beijing, and brought them back to Veitch's Nursery in Coombe Hill near London.[2] [3] Purdom's correspondence regarding this event are held in the archives of the Arnold Arboretum. One plant was sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and two to the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.[4] The original tree at Kew no longer exists but a young tree grafted from the original now grows in the Rhododendron Dell.

As a mature tree Aesculus chinensis can grow up to 80–90 ft or 25m tall.[5] Its palmate mid green leaves have 5-7 leaflets, usually glabrous beneath.[6] [7]

It produces large white upright panicles of flowers from May to June. These are followed by round smooth fruit capsules, which contain 1 to 2 dark brown seeds.[8]

The seed contains triterpenoid saponins[9] and flavonoids, such as aescuflavoside and aescuflavoside A, which are glycosides of quercetin.[10] Research has been conducted into the anti-inflammatory potential of the four main saponins contained within the seeds.[11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aesculus chinensis Bunge Plants of the World Online Kew Science . 2023-10-30 . Plants of the World Online . en.
  2. Book: Gordon, Francois . William Purdom: agitator, plant-hunter, forester . Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh . 2021 . 978-1910877371.
  3. Web site: Damery . Jonathan . 2021-06-25 . William Purdom: The Forgotten Arnold Plant Hunter . 2023-10-30 . Arnold Arboretum . en-us.
  4. Web site: Aesculus chinensis - Trees and Shrubs Online . 2023-10-30 . www.treesandshrubsonline.org.
  5. Christenhusz . Maarten J. M. . Yamanaka . Masumi . September 2022 . 1030. AESCULUS CHINENSIS: Sapindaceae . Curtis's Botanical Magazine . en . 39 . 3 . 433–441 . 10.1111/curt.12456 . 1355-4905.
  6. Web site: Aesculus chinensis/ RHS Gardening . 2023-10-30 . www.rhs.org.uk . en-gb.
  7. Web site: Aesculus chinensis - Plant Finder . 2023-10-30 . www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  8. Web site: Aesculus chinensis - Plant Finder . 2023-10-30 . www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  9. 15467246. 2004. Wei. F. Ma. LY. Jin. WT. Ma. SC. Han. GZ. Khan. IA. Lin. RC. Antiinflammatory triterpenoid saponins from the seeds of Aesculus chinensis. 52. 10. 1246–8. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 10.1248/cpb.52.1246. free.
  10. 10.1021/np030470h. Antiviral Flavonoids from the Seeds of Aesculus chinensis. 2004. Wei. Feng. Ma. Shuang-Cheng. Ma. Lin-Yun. But. Paul Pui-Hay. Lin. Rui-Chao. Khan. Ikhlas A.. Journal of Natural Products. 67. 4. 650–3. 15104496.
  11. Wei . Feng . Ma . Lin-Yun . Jin . Wen-Tao . Ma . Shuang-Cheng . Han . Guo-Zhu . Khan . Ikhlas Ahmad . Lin . Rui-Chao . 2004 . Antiinflammatory Triterpenoid Saponins from the Seeds of Aesculus chinensis . Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin . 52 . 10 . 1246–1248 . 10.1248/cpb.52.1246. free .
  12. Web site: Aesculus chinensis - Useful Temperate Plants . 2023-10-30 . temperate.theferns.info.

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