Scutellaria

''Scutellaria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. They are known commonly as skullcaps. The generic name is derived from the Latin ''scutella'', meaning "a small dish, tray or platter",''Scutellaria parvula'' var. ''missouriensis''.
Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium. University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. or "little dish", referring to the shape of the calyx. The common name alludes to the resemblance of the same structure to "miniature medieval helmets". The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution,Ulloa, C. U. and P. M. Jørgensen
''Scutellaria''.
''Árboles y arbustos de los Andes del Ecuador''. eFloras. with species occurring nearly worldwide, mainly in temperate regions.''Scutellaria''.
The Jepson eFlora 2013.

Description

Most Scutellaria are annual or perennial herbaceous plants from tall, however a few are subshrubs. Some Scutellaria are aquatic. Scutellaria have four-angled stems and opposite leaves, and flowers with upper and lower lips. The genus is most easily recognized by the typical shield on the calyx that has also prompted its common name.

Traditional use

Skullcaps are used in traditional medicine, such as in traditional Chinese medicine. The root of ''Scutellaria baicalensis'' a common component of many preparations is marketed in volumes that have led to the overexploitation of the wild plant. Its rarity has led to an increase in price, and encouraged the adulteration of the product with other species of ''Scutellaria''.

In 1773, ''Scutellaria lateriflora. Today it is still a popular medicinal herb. It is widely available as a commercial product used in western herbalism. The plant reportedly commands prices of $16 to $64 per pound dry weight.

Constituents

The main compounds in skullcap are flavonoids. Isolated chemical compounds include wogonin, wogonoside, and 3,5,7,2',6'-pentahydroxyl flavanone found in ''Scutellaria''. Other constituents include baicalin, apigenin, oroxylin A, and scutellarein.

Selected species

Estimates of the number of species in the genus range from around 300 to about 350''Scutellaria''.
Flora of China. or 360 to 470.

Selected species include:

*''Scutellaria alabamensis'' – Alabama skullcap
*''Scutellaria albida'' Lem.
*'' Scutellaria alpina'' L. – alpine skullcap
*'' Scutellaria altamaha'' – pineland skullcap
*'' Scutellaria altissima'' L. – Somerset skullcap, tall skullcap
*'' Scutellaria amoena''
*'' Scutellaria anatolica''
*'' Scutellaria angustifolia'' – narrowleaf skullcap
*'' Scutellaria antirrhinoides'' Benth. – nose skullcap
*'' Scutellaria arenicola'' – Florida scrub skullcap
*'' Scutellaria arguta'' – Blue Ridge skullcap
*'' Scutellaria atriplicifolia''
*'' Scutellaria aurata''
*''Scutellaria baicalensis'' Georgi – Baikal skullcap, Chinese skullcap
*'' Scutellaria barbata'' D.Don – barbed skullcap
*'' Scutellaria bolanderi'' A.Gray – Sierra skullcap
*'' Scutellaria brachyspica''
*'' Scutellaria brittonii'' – Britton's skullcap
*'' Scutellaria bushii'' – Bush's skullcap
*'' Scutellaria caerulea'' – blue skullcap
*'' Scutellaria californica'' A.Gray – California skullcap
*'' Scutellaria cardiophylla'' – gulf skullcap
*'' Scutellaria columnae''
*'' Scutellaria costaricana'' H.Wendl. – scarlet skullcap, Costa Rican skullcap
*'' Scutellaria drummondii'' – Drummond's skullcap
*'' Scutellaria elliptica'' Muhl. – hairy skullcap
*'' Scutellaria floridana'' Chapm. – Florida skullcap
*'' Scutellaria formosana''
*''Scutellaria galericulata'' L. – common skullcap, marsh skullcap
*'' Scutellaria glabriuscula'' – Georgia skullcap
*'' Scutellaria hastifolia'' – spear-leaved skullcap
*'' Scutellaria havanensis'' – Havana skullcap
*'' Scutellaria hirta''
*'' Scutellaria hookeri''
*'' Scutellaria humilis''
*'' Scutellaria incana'' Biehler – downy skullcap, hoary skullcap
*'' Scutellaria incarnata'' Vent.
*'' Scutellaria indica'' L.
*'' Scutellaria integrifolia'' L. – helmet flower
*'' Scutellaria laevis'' – Culberson County skullcap
*''Scutellaria lateriflora