golden kiwi

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese soft-hair kiwi
• gold kiwifruit
• golden kiwifruit
• Chinese gooseberry
• Golden Kiwi
• Kiwifruit

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Actinidia chinensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Ericales. Furthermore, it is a member of the family Actinidiaceae and is situated within the genus Actinidia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse distribution across several distinct regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be identified within the borders of Sweden. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found inhabiting the landscapes of Austria, Germany, and the Czechia-Slovakia region. Additionally, the plant extends its range further south into Southeastern Europe, specifically within Italy. Together, these locations highlight the varied geographical spread of Actinidia chinensis across the territory.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Actinidia chinensis is characterized by its preference for lowland environments, where it thrives under specific moisture and light regimes. As a climbing woody vine, it typically occupies forest edges, thickets, and shaded understories where it can utilize surrounding structures for support to reach optimal light levels. These lowland habitats provide the relatively stable temperatures and high humidity levels necessary to maintain its vigorous vegetative growth and fruit development. The species is well-adapted to nutrient-rich, well-drained soils that are high in organic matter, often found in temperate to subtropical regions. Its ecological success in these low-altitude zones is closely tied to its ability to manage water availability, as it requires consistent soil moisture to prevent wilting while avoiding prolonged waterlogging.

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Actinidia chinensis is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its buds well above the ground level, typically exhibiting a climbing or woody growth habit that relies on structural support. The plant follows a deciduous pattern, shedding its foliage annually as part of its seasonal cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Actinidia chinensis is characterized by its robust, woody structure, functioning as a climbing vine that requires external support to ascend. As an obligatory climber, it utilizes its specialized growth habit to navigate its environment, rather than being self-supporting. Although it can exhibit a shrub-like growth form in certain developmental stages or controlled environments, it is fundamentally a liana. The plant is strictly terrestrial in its ecological niche, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies; it does not function as a holoepiphyte, hemiepiphyte, or facultative epiphyte, but instead establishes itself firmly in the soil. Furthermore, Actinidia chinensis is an independent organism, meaning it does not exhibit parasitic behavior, relying entirely on its own physiological processes for nutrient acquisition.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Actinidia chinensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits specific morphological characteristics in its foliage, maintaining a consistent leaf width of 14 cm, with minimum, mean, and maximum values all recorded at this precise measurement. Furthermore, Actinidia chinensis does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and thus relies on external soil nitrogen sources for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf width mean:

14 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Actinidia chinensis is characterized by a complex interplay of sexual and asexual mechanisms. As a dioecious species, its sexual reproduction relies on distinct male and female plants, facilitated by a biotic pollination syndrome specifically involving insects. Once fertilization occurs, the plant develops fleshy fruits that possess a mean length of 6 cm and a mean width of 3.5 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit a highly consistent volume, with a mean, minimum, and maximum value all recorded at 5.1 mm³. The mass of these seeds varies, ranging from a minimum of 0 g to a maximum of 0.0016 g, with an average seed mass of approximately 0.000615 g. Following fruit maturation, the dispersal syndrome includes anthropochorous pathways, though the fleshy nature of the fruit is also conducive to various biotic dispersal methods. Additionally, the species is capable of asexual reproduction, providing an alternative pathway for propagation and survival.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

6 cm

Fruit width mean:

3.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Seed mass max:

0.0016 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000615 g

Seed mass min:

0 g

Seed volume max:

5.1 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Actinidia chinensis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chemicals

Actinidia chinensis has 44 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 23-Hydroxyursolic Acid, 2alpha-Hydroxyursolic acid, 2alpha-hydroxyoleanolic acid, Abscisic acid (ABA), Actinidine.

23-Hydroxyursolic Acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

2alpha-Hydroxyursolic acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

2alpha-hydroxyoleanolic acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Abscisic acid (ABA)

1. Functional plant biology : FPB

Actinidine

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

CHROMIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Carotenoids

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Actinidia chinensis has 434 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-HETE-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Actinidia chinensis has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EtOH extract.

Etoh extract

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica