Blumea densiflora

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Conyza dasycoma var. pinnatifida
• Blumea klossii
• Blumea dasycoma var. pinnatifida
• Blumea densiflora var. hookeri
• Blumea hookeri

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it follows the order Asterales and is a member of the family Asteraceae. Specifically, it is categorized under the genus Blumea, with its species name being densiflora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range across parts of Asia, primarily concentrated within the Indian Subcontinent. It can be found growing in the diverse terrains of Assam and throughout the East Himalaya region. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Nepal. Beyond the Indian Subcontinent, the species is also documented in the South-Central regions of China. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's preference for specific subtropical and montane environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Blumea densiflora is characterized by its preference for specific montane environments, primarily thriving within dense secondary shrublands and ruderal vegetation. This species occupies a significant altitudinal gradient, ranging from a minimum elevation of 1500 m AMSL to a maximum of 2800 m AMSL. Throughout its distributed range, it maintains a mean elevation of approximately 2475 m AMSL, suggesting an ecological specialization for mid-to-high altitude montane ecosystems where it often colonizes disturbed or regenerating secondary growth habitats.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2475 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1500 m AMSL

Habitat :

dense secondary shrub and ruderal vegetation

Life history

The life history of Blumea densiflora is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment across multiple growing seasons. As a perennial species, it avoids the complete lifecycle completion required by annuals, instead establishing a long-term presence through robust vegetative structures that support repeated cycles of growth and reproduction. This perennial nature enables the plant to adapt to seasonal fluctuations and maintain a stable population within its ecological niche, often outcompeting shorter-lived species by establishing deep-rooted systems or persistent basal structures. Through its extended lifespan, Blumea densiflora can undergo multiple flowering periods, contributing to a sustained reproductive effort that ensures the long-term dispersal of its seeds throughout its habitat.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Blumea densiflora is characterized by its growth form as an herb, displaying a variable degree of woodiness throughout its structure. This species typically reaches a maximum plant height of 1.8 m. Although it possesses certain structural characteristics, it is categorized as a self-supporting plant rather than an obligatory or facultative climber.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

1.8 m

Woodiness :

variable

Physiology

The physiological characteristics of Blumea densiflora are significantly defined by its robust vegetative morphology, particularly regarding its foliar development and surface area optimization. The plant exhibits a wide range of leaf dimensions that facilitate efficient photosynthetic activity and gas exchange. The leaf length shows substantial variability, with minimum measurements recorded at 22 cm, a mean length of 32 cm, and a maximum potential reach of up to 42 cm. Complementing this longitudinal growth, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 8 cm and a maximum of 16 cm. This morphological plasticity in leaf size and proportion suggests an adaptive physiological mechanism to manage light interception and transpiration rates within its specific ecological niche.

Leaf length max:

42 cm

Leaf length mean:

32 cm

Leaf length min:

22 cm

Leaf width max:

16 cm

Leaf width min:

8 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Blumea densiflora is characterized by the development of specialized fruit structures that exhibit a highly consistent morphology. The fruit is remarkably uniform in size, with all measured parameters indicating a fixed dimension. Specifically, the fruit length maintains a consistent value of 0.1 cm, as reflected in the minimum, mean, and maximum measurements. This lack of variance in fruit length, staying strictly at 0.1 cm, suggests a highly standardized reproductive output for the species during its fruiting stage.

Fruit length max:

0.1 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Blumea densiflora has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Borneol, Germacrene D.

Borneol

1. Parasitology research

Germacrene D

1. Parasitology research

Preparations

Blumea densiflora has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Essential oils.

Essential oils

1. Parasitology research