mountain thistle

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• mountain thistle
• Bear's breech

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cheilopsis montana
• Acanthus barteri

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Acanthaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Acanthus, specifically as the species Acanthus montanus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Benin, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Moving into the West-Central Tropical Africa region, the species can also be found in Burundi. Additionally, it is known to grow within the borders of the Central African Republic. These locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive within various tropical ecosystems.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Acanthus montanus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth strategy and survival mechanism, the species is classified as a hemicryptophyte, meaning its perennial buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic debris during unfavorable environmental conditions. This life form, identified both as a hemicryptophyte and specifically as a hemi-cryptophyte, ensures the plant's long-term establishment and ability to regenerate seasonally within its habitat.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Acanthus montanus is characterized by its growth form as a woody herb that can reach a maximum plant height of approximately 1.83 meters. It functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite and exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit, categorized as neither an obligatory nor a facultative vine, but rather a self-supporting structure. While its ecological niches can range across aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial environments, its primary classification in terms of habitat and epiphytic status is terrestrial. As a woody herb, it maintains a robust structural integrity that supports its vertical development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.828822238 m

Woodiness :

woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Acanthus montanus is characterized by a flowering cycle that exhibits significant seasonal flexibility. The flowering process is highly variable, as the onset of bloom can occur at any point throughout the year, encompassing all months from January through December. While the flowering start is described as variable, the period during which the plant reaches the end of its flowering cycle is similarly fluid, also capable of occurring across the entire annual spectrum from January to December. This adaptability in its reproductive timing allows the plant to respond to fluctuating environmental conditions, ensuring that the flowering duration and peak periods remain dynamic rather than strictly fixed to a specific seasonal window.

Flowering time :

Jan

Flowering time :

Feb

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Acanthus montanus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Acanthus montanus has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Verbascoside, isoverbascoside.

Verbascoside

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

isoverbascoside

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Acanthus montanus has 3 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticonvulsant, Antifertility, Fetotoxic.

Anticonvulsant

1. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B

Antifertility

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Fetotoxic

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Conditions

Acanthus montanus has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Helicobacter pylori, hyperglycemia, inflammation, pain, threatened abortion.

Helicobacter pylori

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hyperglycemia

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Pain

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Threatened abortion

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Preparations

Acanthus montanus has 5 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, aqueous leaf extracts, ethanolic leaf extracts, leaf extracts, methanol plant extracts.

Aqueous extract

1. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Aqueous leaf extracts

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic leaf extracts

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology

Leaf extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol plant extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology