great bougainvillea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• great bougainvillea
• Brazil bougainvillea
• beautiful bougainvillea

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Tricycla spectabilis
• Bougainvillea spectabilis marmorata
• Josepha augusta
• Bougainvillea spectabilis var. hirsutissima
• Bougainvillea spectabilis var. parviflora
• Bougainvillea spectabilis var. virescens
• Bougainvillea speciosa
• Bougainvillea virescens
• Bougainvillea brasiliensis

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 and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Caryophyllales, it is a member of the family Nyctaginaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Bougainvillea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several distinct tropical regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is noted in Gambia. Moving towards West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found in Cameroon, the Gulf of Guinea Islands, and the DR Congo. Additionally, the species extends its reach into the Western Indian Ocean, specifically in Mauritius. These varied locations highlight the widespread adaptability of the species across different oceanic and continental zones.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Bougainvillea spectabilis is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse and complex biomes, including Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual, Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista, and Restinga. This adaptability allows the species to occupy a significant vertical gradient within its landscape, spanning an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 200 m AMSL and reaches a maximum of 2260 m AMSL. Throughout its distribution, the plant maintains an average elevational range of approximately 1550 m AMSL, demonstrating a broad ecological tolerance for varying altitudes and moisture regimes within these distinct forest and coastal ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

2260 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1550 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista, Restinga

Life history

The life history of Bougainvillea spectabilis is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist and thrive through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its buds are borne on aerial shoots well above the ground, a growth habit that facilitates its climbing and sprawling nature. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains present throughout the year, providing a consistent photosynthetic surface. Its developmental strategy as a phanerophyte supports its robust structural complexity, enabling it to establish long-term presence within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Bougainvillea spectabilis is characterized by its woody growth form, functioning primarily as a shrub that exhibits significant climbing capabilities. It is a terrestrial plant that grows independently, without parasitic dependencies, and is categorized as a self-supporting climber. This species can reach a considerable plant height, with both its mean and maximum height documented at approximately 10 meters. Its structure is robust and woody, allowing it to maintain its form as it scales or spreads within its habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Bougainvillea spectabilis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production through the standard Calvin cycle. Unlike succulent species, this plant does not exhibit succulence, meaning it lacks specialized thickened tissues designed for significant water storage within its stems or leaves. Furthermore, Bougainvillea spectabilis is not a nitrogen fixer, as it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for its growth.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Bougainvillea spectabilis involves the development of small fruits that serve as the primary vehicle for seed dissemination. These fruits exhibit specific morphological dimensions, typically ranging in length from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm, with an average fruit length of approximately 1.25 cm. Regarding the dispersal of its progeny, the plant utilizes various dispersal syndromes to ensure its spread across different environments; while it can be influenced by factors such as anthropochory, autochory, endozoochory, epizoochory, hydrochory, myrmecomochory, and unspecialized zoochory, it is notably characterized by anemochorous dispersal mechanisms.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Fruit length max:

1.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.25 cm

Fruit length min:

1 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Bougainvillea spectabilis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of medicinal food

Chemicals

Bougainvillea spectabilis has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include D-Pinitol, -Spinasterol, Flavonoids, Glycosides, H2O2.

D-Pinitol

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology

-Spinasterol

1. Anticancer research

Flavonoids

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Glycosides

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

H2O2

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Malondialdehyde

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Oxalates

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Pinitol

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Quercetagetin

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Saponins

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Activities

Bougainvillea spectabilis has 8 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anticancer, Antihepatotoxic.

Antidiabetic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology

Antioxidant

1. Pharmacognosy reviews
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antihepatotoxic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antimicrobial

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antiulcer

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Medicinal Uses

Bougainvillea spectabilis has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Diabetes mellitus, analgesic, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations