breadfruit

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• breadfruit
• Breadfruit Tree
• dugdug

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Saccus laevis
• Artocarpus incisus var. non-seminifer
• Artocarpus rima
• Sitodium altile
• Saccus communis
• Radermachia incisa
• Artocarpus altilis var. non-seminifer
• Artocarpus communis
• Artocarpus incisus
• Artocarpus laevis
• Artocarpus incisus var. laevis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, scientifically known as Artocarpus altilis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Rosales and the family Moraceae. It is further categorized under the genus Artocarpus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Artocarpus altilis, exhibits a specific distribution throughout the tropical regions of Africa. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in both Gambia and Guinea. Its presence extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically within the Central African Republic. Additionally, the species is documented in Cameroon, which is also part of the West-Central region. Finally, its range reaches the Gulf of Guinea Islands, completing its geographical profile in these areas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Artocarpus altilis is characterized by a diverse range of environmental settings and significant altitudinal adaptability. This species thrives across a wide elevational gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 1200 m AMSL. Its preferred habitats are varied, encompassing anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), Seasonal Semi-deciduous Forests (Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual), Ombrophilous Forests (Floresta Ombrófila, also known as Rainforest), and the Amazonian Savannah (Savana Amazônica). This broad distribution allows the plant to occupy multiple ecological niches, from disturbed human-modified landscapes to dense, high-moisture tropical forest systems.

Elevational range max:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Savana Amazônica

Life history

The life history of Artocarpus altilis is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist and thrive through multiple growing seasons over a long lifespan. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains lush and functional year-round without a distinct period of leaf shedding. This continuous presence of leaves facilitates steady photosynthetic activity, supporting its long-term growth and reproductive cycles in its natural tropical habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Artocarpus altilis is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a large, self-supporting tree. This terrestrial species is independent, functioning as a non-parasitic organism rather than an epiphyte or parasite. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant vertical development, reaching an average height of approximately 18 m, with a maximum height that can extend up to 20 m. As a self-supporting tree, it does not require climbing structures such as lianas or vines to maintain its upright posture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height mean:

18 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Artocarpus altilis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy typical of many tropical woody species that facilitates carbon fixation under humid, shaded, or partially sunlit environments. The plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating a lack of specialized water-storage tissues in its vegetative organs, and it functions as a non-nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil nutrient availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements. Its foliage is notably large and robust, with leaf dimensions ranging from a minimum length of 30 cm to a maximum length of 90 cm, while the leaf width varies between a minimum of 20 cm and a maximum of 40 cm, providing a substantial surface area for light interception and gas exchange.

Leaf length max:

90 cm

Leaf length min:

30 cm

Leaf width max:

40 cm

Leaf width min:

20 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Artocarpus altilis is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily involving insects and bees to facilitate fertilization, as self-fertilization is notably absent. The reproductive structures include inflorescences that vary in length from a minimum of 0.07 m to a maximum of 0.45 m. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fleshy fruits that can reach lengths ranging from 15 cm to a maximum of 30 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit specific morphological dimensions, with a minimum seed length of 20 mm and a maximum of 30 mm, a minimum width of 17 mm, and a maximum width of 27 mm. These seeds possess a consistent volume of 7300 mm³ and a uniform mass of 5.898 g. The dispersal of the plant is categorized as anthropochorous, indicating that human activity plays a significant role in its propagation.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

30 cm

Fruit length min:

15 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.45 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.07 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

30 mm

Seed length min:

20 mm

Seed mass mean:

5.898 g

Seed volume max:

7300 mm³

Seed width max:

27 mm

Seed width min:

17 mm

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Artocarpus altilis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, root.

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Fruit

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Artocarpus altilis has 59 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ARTOCARPIN, quercetin, (-)-Cudraflavone A, Artonin E, Ash.

ARTOCARPIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

(-)-Cudraflavone A

1. Journal of natural products

Artonin E

1. Fitoterapia

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BORON

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke

CYCLOARTENONE

1. Dr. Duke

Cudraflavone C

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Artocarpus altilis has 466 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Adjuvant

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Artocarpus altilis has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include MCF-7 cells, blood glucose, cancer, hypertension, inflammation.

Mcf-7 cells

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Blood glucose

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Cancer

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Hypertension

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Inflammation

1. Journal of natural products

Type 1 diabetes

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Preparations

Artocarpus altilis has 6 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include MeOH/CH(2)Cl(2) extract, cortex of the roots, ethyl acetate extract, heartwood, methanolic fruit extract.

Meoh/ch(2)cl(2) extract

1. Journal of natural products

Cortex of the roots

1. Journal of natural products

Ethyl acetate extract

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Heartwood

1. Journal of natural products

Methanolic fruit extract

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Solvent extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR