Taxon:  Plumbago zeylanica L.



Summary
Genus:
Plumbago
Family:
Plumbaginaceae
Subfamily:
Plumbaginoideae
Nomen number:
28879
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 1:151.  1753
Verified:
03/19/1996 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
1 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
  4. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances.
  5. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  6. Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
  7. Craib, W. G. & A. F. G. Kerr, eds. 1925-1962. Florae siamensis enumeratio.
  8. Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
  9. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  10. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  11. Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa.
  12. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  13. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  14. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
  15. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  16. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  17. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  18. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  19. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  20. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  21. Padua, L. S. de et al., eds. 1999. Medicinal and poisonous plants 1. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 12(1):409-413.
  22. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  23. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  24. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  25. Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
  26. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  27. Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
  28. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishCeylon leadwort  1McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Englishdoctorbush  1FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Englishplumbago  1Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Englishwild plumbago  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Swedishvit blyblomma  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transcribed Chinesebai hua dan  2Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEritrea   
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia   
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSomalia   
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola   
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMalawi  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZambia  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaCape Province Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaFree State Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaTransvaal Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaLiberia   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSenegal   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSierra Leone   
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaBurundi   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCameroon   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaEquatorial Guinea   
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaRwanda   
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritius  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanReunion  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaYemen  Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaFujian Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangdong Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuizhou Shengs.Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaHainan Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaSichuan Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaYunnan Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaCambodia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam   
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNew South Walesn.e.Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australia Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativePacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii  
1NativePacificSouth-Central PacificFrench Polynesia   
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificFiji  Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificNew Caledonia  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances.
2Cultivated    widely cult. 
4Naturalized    widely natzd. 
6Other    exact native range in paleotropics obscure 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [Cape Province, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal]
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Mauritius, Reunion
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Yemen
  • CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng (s.), Hainan Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]
  • EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
  • MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales (n.e.), Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Naturalized (widely natzd.)
Other (exact native range in paleotropics obscure)

Reference(s)
  1. Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
  2. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances.
  3. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  4. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  5. Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
  6. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  7. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  8. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  9. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  10. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  11. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  12. Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
  13. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Padua, L. S. de et al., eds. 1999. Medicinal and poisonous plants 1. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 12(1):409-413.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=28879. Accessed 12 May 2026.