Amphilophium crucigerum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions. Within the Middle Atlantic Ocean, its presence has been documented on the island of St. Helena. In Mexico, it is widely distributed across the central territories of the country. Furthermore, the species can be found throughout the northeastern regions of Mexico. Its habitat also extends into the Mexico Gulf and the Mexico Northwest areas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Amphilophium crucigerum is characterized by its wide adaptability across diverse forest ecosystems and significant altitudinal gradients. This species thrives in a variety of forest types, ranging from seasonal environments such as Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, and Floresta Estacional Perenifólia to more humid and stable habitats, including Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Ombrófila (Pluvial), and Floresta Ombrófila Mista. Its distribution spans a vast vertical range, beginning at sea level (0 m AMSL) and ascending to a maximum elevation of 1690 m AMSL, with an average elevational range of 1350 m AMSL. This ability to inhabit both seasonal and ombrophilous forests, combined with its broad elevational tolerance, indicates a robust ecological plasticity.

Elevational range max:

1690 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1350 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Perenifólia, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista

Life history

The life history of Amphilophium crucigerum is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a long-lived plant, it follows a continuous developmental cycle rather than completing its life process within a single year or two, which enables it to establish a more stable presence within its ecological niche. This perennial nature facilitates the accumulation of resources over time, supporting sustained growth and repeated reproductive efforts across successive years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Amphilophium crucigerum is characterized by a woody structure that facilitates its life habit as a liana. Functioning as an obligatory climber, this plant utilizes its woody stems to ascend and support its growth. Despite its climbing nature, it is categorized as a terrestrial organism, maintaining its primary existence on land rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. It does not exhibit epiphytic tendencies, remaining a terrestrial species rather than growing as a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte. Furthermore, the plant is an independent organism, showing no parasitic behavior toward other species. While it possesses woody characteristics essential for its liana growth form, its fundamental morphological classification within certain botanical frameworks aligns with a herbaceous or forb-like structural development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Amphiloquium crucigerum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a metabolic process optimized for moderate environmental conditions through direct carbon fixation. The leaf morphology displays significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, while leaf widths fluctuate between 2 cm and 5 cm. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a consistent leaf dry matter content (LDMC) of 315.8 mg/g, a value that remains uniform across its minimum, mean, and maximum recorded measurements, reflecting a stabilized concentration of structural and non-structural components within its foliar tissues.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

315.8 mg/g

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

5 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Amphilophium crucigerum is characterized by a specific flowering phenology and specialized seed dispersal mechanisms. The plant's flowering period typically commences in November and concludes in February, though the timing can remain variable throughout the year. Following pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of a capsule, which is a dehiscence-based structure, meaning it splits open at maturity to release its contents. The resulting seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.05659 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.04192 g to a maximum of 0.07148 g. Once released, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, relying on wind currents to transport them to new locations for colonization.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Nov

Flowering time :

Feb

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed mass max:

0.07148 g

Seed mass mean:

0.05659 g

Seed mass min:

0.04192 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Amphilophium crucigerum 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 seed.

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Amphilophium crucigerum has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include acute pain, chronic pain, neuropathic pain.

Acute pain

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chronic pain

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Neuropathic pain

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology