Christmasbush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Christmasbush

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Schousboea cordifolia
• Alchornea cordata
• Cacoucia cordifolia

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Euphorbiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Alchornea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern concentrated within the West Tropical Africa region. It is documented to grow naturally in the country of Benin. Furthermore, its presence extends to the territories of Burkina and Gambia. The species is also found throughout the landscape of Ghana. Finally, its geographical range includes the nation of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Alchornea cordifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. It exhibits a dual classification regarding its growth habits, functioning as both a phanerophyte, where its stems extend well above the ground, and a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its structural versatility. Furthermore, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year without undergoing a seasonal shedding process.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Alchornea cordifolia is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as both a shrub and a tree. It is a self-supporting plant, exhibiting no climbing or parasitic tendencies, and functions as an independent organism within its habitat. As a terrestrial species, it does not possess epiphytic or aquatic characteristics. In terms of stature, the plant reaches significant heights, typically ranging from a minimum of 4 m to a mean height of approximately 6.67 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

6.66666666666667 m

Plant height min:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Alchornea cordifolia is characterized by its metabolic efficiency and nutrient acquisition strategies. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the initial fixation of carbon dioxide into a three-carbon compound during the Calvin cycle, a process typical of most woody dicotyledonous shrubs found in tropical and subtropical environments. Regarding its interaction with soil nutrients, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess specialized root nodules containing symbiotic bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil through its root system to satisfy its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and growth.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Alchornea cordifolia is characterized by a specific seasonal cycle and distinct biological mechanisms. The flowering period is concentrated in April, marking the start and end of its floral development. This is followed by the fruiting phase, which occurs in July, representing both the beginning and conclusion of the fruit-bearing stage. In terms of genetic mechanisms, the plant does not exhibit self-fertilization, as the process is noted to be absent, necessitating cross-pollination. The seeds produced are highly uniform in size, with a mean, minimum, and maximum mass all recorded at 0.053 g. Dispersal is achieved through an autochorous syndrome, meaning the plant utilizes autochory to distribute its seeds.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruiting time :

Jul

Seed mass mean:

0.053 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Alchornea cordifolia has 3 reported plant parts identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Natural product research
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Fitoterapia

Stem

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Fitoterapia

Chemicals

Alchornea cordifolia has 32 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Tannins, Antioxidant, Saponins, Terpenoids.

Flavonoids

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Acta pharmaceutica Nordica
4. PloS one
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Tannins

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. PloS one
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Saponins

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)

Terpenoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Fitoterapia

Anthocyanins

1. PloS one

Cadinol

1. Natural product research

Ethyl iso-allocholate

1. Natural product research

Fatty acids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Flavonoid

1. Biomolecules

Activities

Alchornea cordifolia has 10 reported activities identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Antibacterial, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. PloS one

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Fitoterapia
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Hepatoprotective

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antidepressant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiplasmodial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antispasmodic

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Anxiolytic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Spasmolytic

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Conditions

Alchornea cordifolia has 26 reported investigations on conditions identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include coughs, fever, inflammation, malaria, sickle cell disease.

Coughs

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Acta pharmaceutica Nordica

Fever

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Acta pharmaceutica Nordica

Inflammation

1. Natural product research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Malaria

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Sickle cell disease

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Aids

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Entamoeba histolytica

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Hiv-1

1. Antiviral research

Hiv-2

1. Antiviral research

Mrsa

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Alchornea cordifolia has 19 reported preparations identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, plant extracts, 80% methanol extract, Aqueous extracts, Extracts of leaves.

Extracts

1. Antiviral research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Plant extracts

1. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

80% methanol extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts of leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Water-soluble polysaccharides from leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Aqueous extracts

1. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)

Decoction of palm oil associated with a. cordifolia leaves in water

1. La Pediatria medica e chirurgica : Medical and surgical pediatrics

Ethanolic extracts

1. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)