erect spiderling

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Hogmeat
• erect spiderling
• Erect boerhavia
• Upright Spiderling

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Senkenbergia erecta
• Boerhavia virgata
• Boerhavia atomaria
• Boerhavia lateriflora
• Valeriana latifolia
• Boerhavia scabrida
• Boerhavia paniculata var. subacuta
• Boerhavia thornberi
• Boerhavia erecta f. subepunctata
• Boerhavia erecta var. thornberi
• Boerhavia discolor

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Boerhavia erecta, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Caryophyllales and the family Nyctaginacea. It is ultimately identified by the genus Boerhavia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing within the borders of Benin. Furthermore, its presence extends to the nation of Burkina. The species is also documented in Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range includes Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Boerhavia erecta is characterized by its adaptability to various landscapes, specifically demonstrating a preference for anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where it often thrives in disturbed soils or human-influenced environments. Its vertical distribution is quite broad, spanning a significant altitudinal gradient that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum elevation of 1250 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing the species to inhabit diverse climatic zones and varying topographical conditions within its environmental niche.

Elevational range max:

1250 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Boerhavia erecta is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire developmental cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season. In terms of its structural growth strategy and ecological positioning, the species functions as a therophyte, a life form defined by surviving unfavorable conditions in the form of ephemeral seeds. This strategy allows it to rapidly exploit seasonal resources, transitioning through its vegetative and reproductive stages before the onset of environmental stress. As a therophyte, it avoids the need to maintain complex above-ground structures during dormant periods, instead relying on its seed bank to ensure the continuity of its population across successive generations.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Boerhavia erecta is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It typically functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a liana or vine, maintaining an independent existence as it is neither a parasite nor an epiphyte, instead occupying a terrestrial habitat. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits a variable height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.67 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.666666666666667 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Boerhavia erecta is characterized by a specialized C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows for efficient carbon fixation and enhanced resource utilization under various environmental conditions. Its vegetative structures exhibit specific morphological dimensions, with leaves typically ranging in length from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a mean of 2.5 cm, reaching a maximum length of 3.5 cm. The width of the leaves shows a similar range of variability, with a minimum width of 1 cm, a mean width of 1.75 cm, and a maximum width of 2.5 cm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil to support its metabolic processes and growth.

Leaf length max:

3.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1.5 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.75 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Reproduction

The reproduction of Boerhavia erecta is characterized by the development of small fruits and seeds that facilitate its dispersal and propagation. The fruit is remarkably consistent in size, maintaining a mean length of 0.3 cm, with both its minimum and maximum measurements also recorded at 0.3 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit specific mass variations; the mean seed mass is approximately 0.00169375 g, while individual seeds range from a minimum mass of 0.0011 g to a maximum of 0.00198 g. Regarding the movement of its progeny, the plant utilizes a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, although it may also be influenced by anemochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, or unspecialized mechanisms to ensure its spread across different environments.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit length max:

0.3 cm

Seed mass max:

0.00198 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00169375 g

Seed mass min:

0.0011 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Boerhavia erecta has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Glycosides.

Glycosides

1. Natural product research

Conditions

Boerhavia erecta has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include HIV integrase.

Hiv integrase

1. Natural product research