Indian Copperleaf

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian Copperleaf
• Indian acalypha
• Indian-nettle
• copperleaf
• three-seeded-mercury

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ricinocarpus indicus
• Ricinocarpus deciduus
• Cupamenis indica
• Acalypha somalensis
• Acalypha somalium
• Acalypha spicata
• Acalypha decidua
• Acalypha cupamenii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Malpighiales and is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. Its specific taxonomic identification is completed by its classification within the genus Acalypha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within several regions of the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species is also prevalent across Northeast Tropical Africa, including Djibouti and Eritrea. Furthermore, its presence extends into the nation of Ethiopia within the same northeastern region. Finally, the plant's range reaches the island of Socotra, marking its location in Northeast Tropical Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Acalypha indica is characterized by its ability to thrive in disturbed environments, frequently establishing itself within crop fields where soil nutrients and moisture levels are often modified by agricultural activities. As a resilient pioneer species, it colonizes open areas and wasteland, demonstrating a high degree of adaptability to various soil types and sunlight exposures. Its presence in agricultural landscapes often suggests a niche within the disturbed ground layers, where it competes effectively with weeds and utilizes the disturbed soil profiles characteristic of cultivated lands.

Habitat :

crop fields

Life history

The life history of Acalypha indica is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, completing its entire developmental cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological strategy and survival mechanisms, the species functions as a therophyte, meaning it survives unfavorable environmental conditions primarily through the production of seeds rather than persistent vegetative structures. Furthermore, it is categorized as a cryptophyte, a life form strategy that ensures its survival by protecting its perennating buds or organs underground or at the soil surface, allowing it to persist through periods of stress before re-emerging to continue its annual cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Acalypha indica is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb or forb. This plant is a self-supporting species, rather than a climber, liana, or vine, and it functions as an independent organism without being a parasite. It is a terrestrial species, categorized neither as aquatic nor semiaquatic, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a maximum height of 1 m, with a mean height of approximately 0.975 m, and it can be found at a minimum height of 0.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.975 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Acalypha indica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. In terms of vegetative morphology, the plant exhibits specific leaf dimensions used for light interception and gas exchange, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm, maintaining a mean length of approximately 2.75 cm. The leaf width follows a similar physiological scaling, with a minimum width of 1.5 cm, a maximum width of 2.5 cm, and a mean width of 2 cm. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrogen from the soil.

Leaf length max:

3.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

2.75 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

2 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Acalypha indica is characterized by a specific flowering phenology and distinct morphological traits of its reproductive structures. The flowering period typically begins in July and concludes in September, although the timing can be variable across different months. During this stage, the plant produces inflorescences that range in length from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.07 m. Following fertilization, the development of the fruit is observed, with a consistent width measurement of 2 cm, encompassing the minimum, mean, and maximum recorded values. The resulting seeds are remarkably small and lightweight, maintaining a uniform mass of 0.00061 g, which serves as both the minimum and maximum recorded seed mass for the species.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.07 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.02 m

Seed mass mean:

0.00061 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Acalypha indica has 4 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, flower, stem.

Leaf

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. The Indian journal of medical research
3. BMC research notes
4. Recent patents on biotechnology
5. BMJ case reports

Root

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Flower

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Stem

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Chemicals

Acalypha indica has 42 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Phenols, 2-Methyl anthraquinone, 2-Methylanthraquinone, Acalyphamide.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Phenols

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

2-Methyl anthraquinone

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

2-Methylanthraquinone

1. Dr. Duke

Acalyphamide

1. Dr. Duke

Antimycin A

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Aurantiamide

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM OXALATE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Acalypha indica has 208 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

AntiAGE

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Acalypha indica has 21 reported investigations on conditions identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include asthma, bronchitis, wound healing, G6PD deficiency, Plasmodium falciparum.

Asthma

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Recent patents on biotechnology

Bronchitis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Recent patents on biotechnology

Wound healing

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

G6pd deficiency

1. The Ceylon medical journal

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Sars-cov-2

1. Heliyon

Anti-venom

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Blood coagulation

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Cough

1. Recent patents on biotechnology

Dermatitis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Acalypha indica has 10 reported preparations identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include leaves, Aqueous extracts of leaves, acetone/crude extract, aqueous residues, boiled leaves.

Leaves

1. BMC research notes
2. Recent patents on biotechnology

Aqueous extracts of leaves

1. The Indian journal of medical research

Acetone/crude extract

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Aqueous residues

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Boiled leaves

1. BMJ case reports

Broth

1. The Ceylon medical journal

Decoction

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Raw plant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root methanolic extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)