Not to be semantically confused with : Chamomile.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : the strikingly variegated three-colour Ace-of-Spades leaves.

There is only one Genus (Houttuynia) in the Chameleon Family, and only one plant in the Houttuynia Genus, this one. It is found in both the un-variegated and the variegated Tricolor form shown here.

It is grown as a leaf vegetable in Vietnam, and has a fishy smell.

It has a great propensity for spreading wildly by runners, and is hard to eradicate once established, although brown-fingered gardeners should have no trouble at all. The author's Chameleons have all died, or so he thinks. Paradoxically, it likes wettish soils in full sun. Somewhat strangely, given its spreading abilities, it is to be found growing wild only in the Isle of Man and just one other place (but not Anthony Gormley's Place).

The version shown here is a more common garden variety; the Tricolor variety. The wild variety has non-variegated green leaves and is able to spread more profusely.

Chameleon contains several cytotoxic alkaloids, amongst them Aristolactam A and B, Norcepharadione B, Cepharadione B, Splendidine, Piperolactam A, as well as the glycosides of flavonols Afzerin, Quercitrin and Isoquercitrin and Hyperin.

FLAVONOL & ISOFLAVONOL GLYCOSIDES Hyperin or Hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-β-galactoside) is a Glycosidic Flavonoid present in Chameleon. It is very similar to Astragalin, another example which is also based upon the flavonol Quercetin. Hyperin is present in the Downy Birch and Silver Birch trees, some species of Rhododendron, and in Perforate St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), from which species it obtained its name. Quercitrin and IsoQuercitrin are Flavonol Glycosides similar to Rutin which Chameleon also contains (as do many other plants). They are based on the Flavonol Quercetin, a polyphenolic plant anti-oxidant.

APORPHINE ALKALOIDS Splendidine is an aporphine alkaloid contained within Chameleon which is structurally similar to Apomorphine and Isocordyline. 7-chloro-6-demethyl- cepharadione B is a most unusual alkaloid in the plant world; it contains an atom of chlorine and is thus technically an organo-chloride. Notice that it is based upon an aporphine alkaloid skeleton, like the Splendidine above. It is probably a plant metabolite.

NATURALLY-OCCURRING ORGANOCHLORIDES IN THE PLANT KINGDOM There are not many naturally occurring organochlorides in the plant world, but there are some. [There are a great many more organo-chlorides within other kingdoms, such as micro-organisms, fungi, lichen, algae (especially blue-green and red-algae) and many sea inhabitants, including seaweed and many bottom-dwelling invertebrate sea creatures, since they are immersed in chlorine containing salts. About 3000 natural organochlorides have been found so far in this diverse group]. Perhaps the most abundant organochloride in the plant world is that contained in one of the four auxin plant growth hormones, 4-chloro-indoleacetic acid, which is bio-synthesized in members of the Pea Family such as green peas, lentils, vetch, various beans and other peas. Alongside it is the non-chlorinated version, another auxin. The growth hormone function of the chlorinated version is 100-fold stronger than that of the normal version. Control of the shape of leaves is accomplished by the concentration of auxins in certain areas encouraging higher growth whilst the concentration from locality to locality of anti-auxins reduces or inhibiting growth in other areas. By this means leaves can be made flat, cusped, crinkled, cup-shaped or have pointed ends, rounded ends, spines or teeth on the edge, etc. Those few organo-chlorides known in the plant world are listed here: Asian Bracket Fern, which contains several chlorinated pterosins, such as Pterosin F, and which are responsible for cattle poisoning. The non-chlorinated version, Pterosin B, which is also found in Bracken, is shown for comparison. The Brazilian plant Vellozia bicolor, which contains some chlorinated di-terpenes. Common Ragwort contains the highly toxic pyrrolidizine alkaloid Jaconine, an exceptionally toxic chlorinated alkaloid, which is based upon the less toxic non-chlorinated analogue, Jacoline, which is also one of the many pyrrolidizine alkaloids contained within Common Ragwort. Doronicum macrophyllum contains another chlorinated alkaloid, Doronine. Whilst Lolidine, another chlorinated alkaloid, is manufactured in Lolium cuneatum and Acutumine in Sinomenium acutum. Saxalin is a chlorinated furocoumarin (based on psoralen) which is contained in several plants of the Carrot Family especially Parsley. The aromatin chlorocarbon 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene is a major constituent of Needlerush oil which is obtained from the (non-native) rush Juncus roemarianus. Japaneswe Lily Lilium maximowiczii produces several chlorophenolic fungicides at the site of infection when exposed to the pathogenic plant fungus Fusarium oxysporum. Several Liverworts produce polymeric chlorinated phenols including a bisbenzyl, which contains six atoms of chlorine. A plant notorious for killing livestock is the West African plant Dichapetalum toxicarium which produces the highly toxic fluoroacetic acid, which is widely used as a pesticide. These plants contain other fluorinated compounds, 18-fluoro-oleic acid, 16-fluoro-palmitic acid and other fluorinated fatty acids. The Asian shrub Diospyros maritima manufactures both 3-chloro-plumbagin and 3-bromo-plumbagin. See Plumbagin. A chlorinated bi-plumbagin near-dimer called Chitranone, which crystallises in orange plates, is also manufactured within this plant. Common Valerian is one of very few vascular plants that are capable of converting the inorganic chloride ion into organic chlorine. Others are Yellow Star Thistle, Potato plants and many in the the Pea Family of plants. Potatoes, Corn, Lentils, Rice, Wheat, Mushrooms and Soybeans all manufacture several chlorinated benzodiazepines, including the commercial drug diazepam (Valium) and are to be found in mammalian brains as a direct result of eating these foodstuffs. Halogens such as chlorine in organohalides increase lipophilicity and hence increase bioavailability. Halogens on benzene rings, for example, also block metabolism by deactivating the entire ring against metabolic oxidation. This may be some of the reasons why halogens are incorporated into some plant compounds. This, and their increased toxicity towards invading organisms and pathogens.

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