Chinese-laurel

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese-laurel
• Herbert River-cherry
• Queensland-cherry
• bignay
• bignay China-laurel
• currant-tree
• salamander-tree
• wild cherry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Antidesma thorelianum
• Sapium crassifolium
• Stilago bunius
• Antidesma bunius var. cordifolium
• Antidesma bunius var. floribundum
• Antidesma bunius var. pubescens
• Antidesma bunius var. sylvestre
• Antidesma bunius var. wallichii
• Antidesma crassifolium
• Antidesma ciliatum
• Antidesma collettii
• Antidesma cordifolium
• Antidesma floribundum
• Antidesma glabrum
• Antidesma andamanicum
• Antidesma rumphii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Antidesma bunius, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is situated within the family Phyllanthaceae and the genus Antidesma.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several prominent Asian regions. Within China, its presence is noted in the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. It can also be found in the high-altitude environment of Tibet. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the Indian Subcontinent, specifically within the Assam region. Together, these locations highlight the varied habitats where the species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Antidesma bunius is characterized by its specific distribution across various altitudinal gradients, typically thriving within a broad vertical range. This species is commonly found inhabiting environments starting from a minimum elevation of 200 m AMSL, extending up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. Within these habitats, the plant maintains a mean elevational presence of approximately 850 m AMSL, suggesting an ecological preference for mid-elevation montane or sub-montane zones where specific temperature and moisture regimes are met.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Antidesma bunius is characterized by its existence as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation typical of tree-like growth forms. This plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage throughout the year to support continuous photosynthetic activity. Its development follows a stable long-term trajectory, consistent with its classification as both a phanerophyte and a perennial species within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Antidesma bunius is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, typically reaching a mean height of approximately 10 m. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite, maintaining a terrestrial lifestyle rather than acting as an epiphyte. While some climbing structures in other species may be categorized as lianas or vines, this species is specifically identified as a self-supporting plant, lacking both obligatory and facultative climbing tendencies. Its structural development is defined by a robust, woody composition, establishing it firmly as a terrestrial tree within its ecosystem.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Antidesma bunius is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions in its foliage and a specific metabolic profile regarding nutrient acquisition. The leaf structure exhibits significant variability in size, with mean leaf lengths measuring approximately 15.5 cm, though they can range from a minimum of 8 cm to a maximum of 23 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a mean of 6.5 cm, fluctuating between a minimum of 3 cm and a maximum of 10 cm. In terms of nutrient cycling and nitrogen metabolism, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil through its root system rather than through symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf length max:

23 cm

Leaf length mean:

15.5 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width mean:

6.5 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Antidesma bunius is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects and flies. The species exhibits a lack of self-fertilization, indicating a reliance on cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity. The resulting fruit is fleshy in texture, with dimensions typically ranging from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum length of 1 cm, and maintaining a consistent width that varies between 0.8 cm and a maximum of 0.8 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds are produced with a highly uniform volume, consistently measured at 36 mm³, representing the minimum, mean, and maximum seed volume recorded for the species.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.9 cm

Fruit length min:

0.8 cm

Fruit width max:

0.8 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

fly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed volume max:

36 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Antidesma bunius has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic.

Antioxidant

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Hypoglycemic

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Hypolipidemic

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Conditions

Antidesma bunius has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Hypoglycemic, type 1 diabetes.

Hypoglycemic

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Type 1 diabetes

1. Archives of physiology and biochemistry