Alangium platanifolium

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution that spans several distinct regions across Asia and Europe. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is specifically noted within the borders of Romania. The species can also be found in the Russian Far East, particularly in the Primorye region. Its range extends extensively through China, covering the South-Central, North-Central, and Manchurian territories. Consequently, these varied locations highlight the wide ecological adaptability of the species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Alangium platafolium is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem across multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its stem structure above the ground, though it also exhibits traits consistent with a nanophanerophyte in certain developmental stages or environmental contexts. Its physiological cycle is defined by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a seasonal shedding of its foliage, typically in response to unfavorable climatic conditions or seasonal changes.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Alangium platanifolium is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, typically reaching a mean plant height of approximately 3 meters. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial existence rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic one. The plant is self-supporting in its structure, meaning it does not exhibit climbing behaviors such as being a liana or a vine, and relies on its sturdy, woody composition to maintain its vertical stature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Alangium platanifolium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process through the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy involves the standard Calvin cycle to produce carbohydrates, making the plant's efficiency highly dependent on environmental factors such as temperature and light intensity. Furthermore, the species 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, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to meet its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Alangium platanifolium involves a complex biological process centered on the production of seeds, which serve as the primary vehicle for genetic dispersal. The quantitative characteristics of its seeds are highly consistent, showing no variance across the sampled population. Specifically, the seed mass exhibits a uniform value, with a mean, maximum, and minimum mass all precisely recorded at 0.04648 g. This uniformity in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy, where the energy investment per propagule is strictly regulated to ensure optimal germination success and seedling establishment within its natural habitat.

Seed mass mean:

0.04648 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Alangium platanifolium 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 leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products