Annona papilionella

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rollinia pittieri
• Rollinia microsepala
• Rollinia papilionella

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Magnoliales, it falls into the family Annonaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Annona, specifically as the species Annona papiilionella.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across both Central and South America. Within the Central American region, it can be found growing in Costa Rica and Honduras. Its presence also extends through Nicaragua and into Panamá. Moving toward Western South America, the species is documented in Bolivia. Consequently, its natural range spans multiple diverse ecological zones across the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Annona papiilionella is characterized by its preference for Floresta de Terra Firme habitats, where it thrives within stable terrestrial forest ecosystems. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. On average, the plant is found at a mean elevation of 250 m AMSL, indicating a primary ecological niche within lowland tropical forest structures, though it maintains the capacity to colonize higher montane reaches.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

250 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Terra Firme

Morphology

The morphology of Annona papilionella is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a tree. It is a terrestrial plant, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. While it possesses a sturdy structure, it is classified as a self-supporting plant, lacking the climbing habits of lianas or vines. In terms of scale, the plant can reach a maximum height of approximately 25 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Annona papiillonella is fundamentally characterized by its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic process wherein carbon dioxide is fixed directly into a three-carbon compound during the initial stages of the Calvin cycle. This physiological mechanism involves the enzyme RuBisCO facilitating the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, which is typical for many woody species within the Annonaceae family. Because it operates under the C3 pathway, the plant's metabolic efficiency and water-use strategies are closely tied to its stomatal conductance and environmental temperature, as the process is susceptible to photorespiration when CO2 concentrations are low or temperatures are high. This specific photosynthetic strategy dictates the plant's carbon assimilation rates and its overall energy budget, influencing how it manages biomass production and resource allocation in its native ecological niche.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Annona papilionella is characterized by the production of seeds with highly specific morphological and mass dimensions. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a uniform mass, with a recorded mean, minimum, and maximum value all consistently measured at 0.04 g. In terms of physical dimensions, the seeds show more variability in length, ranging from a minimum of 1 mm to a maximum of 6 mm. These precise quantitative traits define the reproductive output and the physical characteristics of the propagules used for the dispersal and establishment of the species.

Seed length max:

6 mm

Seed length min:

1 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Annona papilionella 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 ethnopharmacology

Activities

Annona papilionella has 3 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Antiplasmodial, Antiprotozoal.

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of natural products

Antiplasmodial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiprotozoal

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Annona papilionella has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extracts, extracts.

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology