Saururus chinensis

Order: Piperales
Family: Saururaceae
General Overview: This perennial species, belonging to the Saururaceae family in the order Piperales, is widely distributed across East Asia. Saururus chinensis, an herbaceous magnoliid lacking perianth structures, exemplifies a clade of early-diverging angiosperms that underwent a transition between woodiness and herbaceousness, facing challenges in pollination. The distinctive presence of white leaves beneath the inflorescence during flowering is interpreted as a surrogate for perianth structures, serving to attract insect pollinators
Morphological Features: Saururus chinensis, commonly known as Asian lizard's tail, the distinctive flower spikes of Saururus chinensis resemble a lizard's tail. is a herbaceous plant thriving in low, damp environments, reaching heights exceeding one meter. Its green, papery leaves are ribbed, densely glandular, and ovate to ovate-lanceolate in shape.
Biological Characteristics: Studies have highlighted the therapeutic properties of Saururus chinensis, demonstrating its efficacy in treating inflammation-related conditions such as edema, gonorrhea, and asthma. Extracts from S. chinensis have shown anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting intracellular nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, and various inflammatory cytokines released by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Additionally, Saururus chinensis has been found to regulate blood lipid levels in animal models and exhibit anti-diabetic effects by suppressing the activity of α-glucosidase. Despite its medicinal importance, the evolutionary relationships of magnoliids, including Saururus chinensis, remain challenging to resolve due to factors like rapid diversification among mesangiosperm lineages and incomplete lineage sorting. This complexity impedes the comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary patterns of angiosperm morphological traits.