Christmas berry

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• coralberry
• coralberry-tree
• coralbush
• hen's-eyes
• spiceberry
• Coralberry Tree
• Hilo Holly
• bacteria bush
• coral ardisia
• hen's eyes

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bladhia crenata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further organized into the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ericales, falling under the family Primulaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its membership in the genus Ardisia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across different regions of Asia and the Indian Ocean. In the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found inhabiting the islands of Mauritius, Réunion, and the Seychelles. Moving toward the Asian continent, its range extends into the South-Central regions of China. Additionally, the species is documented to grow within the tropical environment of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various island and mainland habitats.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ardisia crenata is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution that allows it to inhabit a diverse range of montane and lowland environments. It can be found at elevations starting as low as 90 m AMSL, extending through a mean elevation of approximately 1097.5 m AMSL, and reaching its upper limit at 2400 m AMSL. This wide vertical range suggests an adaptability to varying climatic conditions, varying from warmer, humid lowlands to cooler, high-altitude montane ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

2400 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1097.5 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

90 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Ardisia crenata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a phanerophyte, specifically categorized as both a phanerophyte and a nanophanerophyte, meaning its perennating buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground. The plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ardisia crenata is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub that functions as a self-supporting plant. It is a terrestrial species, existing independently rather than as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 1.42 meters, though its vertical growth can vary significantly, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 meters to a maximum height of 3 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

1.41666666666667 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ardisia crenata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a metabolic process optimized for environments where carbon dioxide fixation occurs via the Calvin cycle. The plant's foliage exhibits significant morphological variation, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 4.5 cm to a mean of 8.625 cm, reaching a maximum of 15 cm. Correspondingly, leaf widths vary from 1.2 cm to a maximum of 4 cm, with an average width of 3 cm. The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate in form and feature crenate margins, lacking both thorns and spines. From a resource-use perspective, the plant maintains a consistent Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 177.2229779 cm²/g across its minimum, mean, and maximum values, reflecting a stable leaf mass per unit area. Furthermore, Ardisia crenata does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its physiological development.

Leaf form :

elliptic-lanceolate

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.625 cm

Leaf length min:

4.5 cm

Leaf margin :

crenate

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

177.2229779 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ardisia crenata is characterized by a versatile flowering period that can occur throughout the entire year, with a notable flowering start in December, though the timing remains variable across the months of January through November. The plant produces inflorescences that typically range in length from a minimum of 0.04 m to a maximum of 0.16 m. Its reproductive success is further supported by the production of fleshy fruits, which facilitates a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals for the distribution of its seeds. The seeds themselves are uniform in their documented measurements, maintaining a consistent seed mass of 0.221 g (with minimum, maximum, and mean values all recorded at this level) and a seed volume of 99 mm³ across minimum, maximum, and mean parameters.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Dec

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Inflorescence length max:

0.16 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.04 m

Seed mass mean:

0.221 g

Seed volume max:

99 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ardisia crenata has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Ardisia crenata has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include FR900359, Saponins, bergenin, (+/-)-Catechin, Ardisiacrispin A.

FR900359

1. Frontiers in chemistry
2. Journal of natural products

Saponins

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

bergenin

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Physiologia plantarum

(+/-)-Catechin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ardisiacrispin A

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Ardisiacrispin B

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Ardisicrenoside C

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Ardisicrenoside D

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Coumarins

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

EMBELIN

1. Natural product research

Activities

Ardisia crenata has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Ardisia crenata has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, inflammation, injuries, laryngeal diseases, pulmonary diseases.

Cancer

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Injuries

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Laryngeal diseases

1. PeerJ

Pulmonary diseases

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Rheumatic diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Rheumatism

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tuberculosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Ardisia crenata has 2 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ardisia crenata extracts, methylene chloride and methanol extracts.

Ardisia crenata extracts

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Methylene chloride and methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology