''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the

daisy family The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

( Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at least one is native to India and the Himalayas.Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil . Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Uses

Elephantopus scaber ''Elephantopus scaber'' is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to tropical Africa, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. It has become naturalized in tropical Africa a ...

'' is a traditional medicine and other species, including '' E. mollis'' and '' E. carolinianus'', have also been investigated for medicinal properties. ''

'' contains

elephantopin Elephantopin is a natural chemical compound extracted from the '' Elephantopus elatus'' plant of the genus ''Elephantopus'', family ''Compositae''. It is a sesquiterpene lactone with a germacranolide Germacranolides are a group of natural chemica ...

which is a

germacranolide Germacranolides are a group of natural chemical compounds classified as sesquiterpene lactone Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids that contain a lactone ring. They are most often found in plants of the family Asteraceae ( ...

sesquiterpene lactone Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids that contain a lactone ring. They are most often found in plants of the family Asteraceae (daisies, asters). Other plant families with SLs are Umbelliferae (celery, parsley, carrots ...

containing two lactone rings and an epoxide functional group.

Species

; Accepted species * '' Elephantopus angolensis'' O.Hoffm. - Angola * ''

Elephantopus arenarius ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Britton & P.Wilson ex Britton - Cuba * ''

Elephantopus arenosus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Krasch. - Brazil * ''

Elephantopus biflorus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' (Less.) Sch.Bip. - Brazil * ''

Elephantopus carolinianus ''Elephantopus carolinianus'', with the common names Carolina elephantsfoot or leafy elephant's foot, is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is native to the south-central and southeastern United States. Description ''Elep ...

'' Raeusch.- southeastern + south-central United States; Cuba, Puerto Rico * ''

Elephantopus dilatatus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the Asteraceae, daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, ...

'' Gleason -

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, Panama * ''

Elephantopus elatus ''Elephantopus elatus'', common name tall elephantsfoot, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States from eastern Louisiana to South Carolina. ''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 ''Elephantopus mollis'', common names tobacco weed, and soft elephantsfoot, is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. ''Elephantopus mollis'' is native to South America as far south as Jujuy Province in Argentina, as ...

'' Kunth native to Latin America + West Indies; widely naturalized in tropics of Africa, Asia,

, various islands * '' Elephantopus multisetus'' O.Hoffm. ex T.Durand & De Wild. - Angola, Zaire, Tanzania * ''

Elephantopus nudatus ''Elephantopus nudatus'', common name smooth elephantsfoot, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States from eastern Texas to Delaware. ''Elephantopus nudatus'' is a per ...

'' A.Gray - southeastern + south-central United States, east Texas to Maryland * ''

Elephantopus nudicaulis ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Poir. - Mexico * '' Elephantopus palustris'' Gardner - Brazil,

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, Paraguay * '' Elephantopus piauiensis'' R.Barros & Semir - Brazil * '' Elephantopus pratensis'' C.Wright - Cuba * '' Elephantopus racemosus'' Gardner- Brazil * '' Elephantopus riparius'' Gardner- Brazil * ''

'' L.-

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, India, southeast Asia, northern

; naturalized in Africa, Madagascar, Latin America * ''

Elephantopus senegalensis ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' (Klatt) Oliv. & Hiern- tropical Africa * ''

Elephantopus tomentosus ''Elephantopus tomentosus'' is a species of perennial plant, perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. It blooms from July to September. Common names include woolly elephant's foot and de ...

'' L. - southern United States * '' Elephantopus vernonioides'' S. Moore - Africa * ''

Elephantopus virgatus ''Elephantopus'' is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). The genus is widespread over much of Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Several species are native to the southeastern United States, and at leas ...

'' Desv. ex Ham. -

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

* '' Elephantopus welwitschii'' Hiern - Africa

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5359423 Asteraceae genera Vernonieae