Breonia chinensis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Anthocephalus chinensis
• Sarcocephalus richardianus
• Sarcocephalus richardii
• Breonia citrifolia
• Cephalidium citrifolium
• Breonia coriacea
• Cephalanthus chinensis
• Breonia mauritiana
• Breonia richardiana
• Nauclea citrifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianaales, it is classified under the family Rubiaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Breonia, with its species name being chinensis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is characterized by a very specific and limited geographical range. Its natural distribution is centered within the Western Indian Ocean region. Specifically, the species is endemic to the island of Madagascar. This localized occurrence means it is not found naturally in any other parts of the world. Consequently, its entire ecological presence is tied to the unique environment of this single island nation.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Breonia chinensis is characterized by its nature as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its habitat over multiple growing seasons. Classified as a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated stems, which can be further categorized specifically as a phanerophyte or a nanophanerophyte depending on the specific stature of the individual specimen. Its deciduousness is noted as variable, meaning the plant may exhibit evergreen characteristics or shed its leaves in response to seasonal or environmental shifts.

Deciduousness :

variable

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Breonia chinensis is characterized by a tree growth form, manifesting as a robust, woody structure rather than a herb, shrub, or graminoid. As a self-supporting organism, it does not exhibit climbing tendencies such as liana or vine habits, nor does it function as an obligatory or facultative climber. The plant is categorized as a terrestrial species, spanning a habitat range that can include semiaquatic environments, though it is fundamentally not an aquatic or epiphytic plant. Furthermore, it maintains an independent life cycle, functioning as a non-parasitic organism without any obligatory or facultative parasitic dependencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Breonia chinensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process typical of many temperate and subtropical species. Its leaf morphology features an oval form with entire margins, and the plant lacks defensive anatomical structures such as leaf thorns or spines. In terms of leaf economics, the species exhibits a consistent Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of approximately 78.42 cm²/g, a value that remains uniform across its minimum, mean, and maximum recorded measurements. Furthermore, the structural integrity of its woody components is reflected in a mean stem specific density (SSD) of 372 mg/cm³.

Leaf form :

oval

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

78.42015069 cm²/g

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

372 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Breonia chinensis is characterized by the production of fleshy fruits, which suggests a biological strategy optimized for dispersal via animal vectors. The seeds contained within these fruits are notably minute, exhibiting a high degree of precision in their physical dimensions. The seed mass is highly consistent, with a mean mass of approximately 0.000695 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00069 g to a maximum of 0.0007 g (7e-04 g). This small scale is further reflected in the seed volume, which shows a mean volume of 0.03355 mm³. The individual seed volumes vary significantly between the smallest recorded measurement of 0.0021 mm³ and a maximum volume of 0.065 mm³, indicating a range of developmental sizes within the reproductive cycle.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

7e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000695 g

Seed mass min:

0.00069 g

Seed volume max:

0.065 mm³

Seed volume mean:

0.03355 mm³

Seed volume min:

0.0021 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Breonia chinensis has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3'-O-Caffeoylsweroside, Cadambine.

3'-O-Caffeoylsweroside

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Cadambine

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin