Common Name:

General Information

Ungernia victoris is a perennial plant growing from an ovoid bulb around 40 - 70mm in diameter; it produces a fountain of 7 - 10 leaves, each around 20 - 25cm long, and a flowering stem[].
This is one of several species that have been cultivated on a commercial scale for the extraction of the alkaloid 'galantamine', a substance used medicinally in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and also to treat several other conditions[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Central Asia - Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan

Habitat

Mild slopes; at elevations from 2,000 - 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Ungernia victoris is a fairly cold-hardy plant, but dislikes wet conditions, especially in winter[].
Requires a sunny position in a deep, well-drained, humus-rich, sandy soil[].
The plant produces its leaves in the spring, these wither as summer approaches and then the flowers are produced later in the summer[].
Plant the bulbs with their growing tip at soil level - they have the ability to adjust themselves to their preferred depth[].
Plants are very susceptible to predation by slugs and snails[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

An extract of the bulbs and leaves is used in the treatment of poliomyelitis[].

The bulb and the flowers are a source of the alkaloid 'galantamine', which is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Galantamine has been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and to alleviate many of its symptoms. The alkaloid has also been shown to encourage lucid dreaming and to also be of use in the treatment of a number of other conditions including poliomyelitis[].

Other Uses

The bulbs of varoius Ungernia species are used for the production of glue[].
The large-sized and, as a rule, profusely formed bulbs of this genus are undoubtedly of technological value and ought to be subjected to detailed chemical analysis[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown when ripe.
Division of offsets when the plant is dormant[].