Ampelocera edentula

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ampelocera latifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Rosales and the family Ulmaceae. Its taxonomic identity is further defined by its placement in the genus Ampelocera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across the tropical regions of the Americas. In Central America, its presence is documented within the country of Panamá. Moving into Northern South America, the species can be found spanning several distinct territories. It is located throughout the nations of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Finally, its geographical range extends into the territory of Venezuela.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ampeloceras edentula is characterized by its preference for specific humid forest environments, primarily thriving within the Floresta de Igapó and the Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). This species occupies a diverse altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 600 m AMSL. Its presence in these seasonally flooded or high-precipitation rainforest ecosystems indicates an adaptation to high humidity and specific soil moisture regimes typical of these tropical forest types.

Elevational range max:

600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Igapó, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Morphology

The morphology of Ampeloceras edentulum is characterized by a woody growth form that functions as a self-supporting tree, reaching a maximum plant height of 15 meters. Although it possesses the structural capacity to act as a self-supporting climber or liana, its primary development is that of a terrestrial organism rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic species. It is an independent plant that does not exhibit parasitic behavior, maintaining its own nutritional requirements without being an obligatory or facultative parasite. Furthermore, it is categorized as a terrestrial species rather than an epiphyte, lacking the specialized habits of holoepiphytes or hemiepiphytes, and instead establishing its structure firmly within terrestrial substrates.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ampelocera edentula is characterized by a metabolic framework utilizing the C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process through the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. Under standard environmental conditions, this pathway involves the initial fixation of CO2 into a three-carbon molecule, typically 3-phosphoglycerate, within the mesophyll cells. Because it relies on this C3 mechanism rather than C4 or CAM pathways, the plant's physiological efficiency is highly sensitive to light intensity, temperature, and water availability, as the process is susceptible to photorespiration when stomatal conductance decreases. Consequently, its gas exchange dynamics and energy conversion processes are fundamentally driven by the enzymatic activities inherent to C3 metabolism.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ampelocera edentula 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 stem.

Stem

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Ampelocera edentula has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 4-Hydroxy-1-tetralone.

4-Hydroxy-1-tetralone

1. Planta medica

Conditions

Ampelocera edentula has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis

1. Planta medica