Asiatic butterfly-bush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Asiatic butterfly-bush
• dog tail

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Buddleja asiatica var. densiflora
• Buddleja asiatica var. salicina
• Buddleja asiatica var. sundaica
• Buddleja asiatica var. brevicuspa
• Buddleja subserrata
• Buddleja sundaica
• Buddleja neemda var. philippensis
• Buddleja arfakensis
• Buddleja amentacea
• Buddleja acuminatissima
• Buddleja discolor
• Buddleja densiflora
• Buddleja serrulata
• Buddleja salicina
• Buddleja neemda
• Vitex esquirolii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales, it is classified under the family Scrophulariaceae and is identified by the genus Buddleja.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical presence across several key regions. In Western Asia, its distribution includes the East Aegean Islands. Within China, it is widely spread across the South-Central territories. It can also be found in the tropical landscape of Hainan. Finally, its range extends to both the North-Central and Southeast regions of China.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Buddleja asiatica is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse altitudinal gradients within its native habitats. This species thrives across a significant vertical span, ranging from low-lying areas at a minimum elevation of 200 m AMSL to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum of 3000 m AMSL. Its distribution is most concentrated around a mean elevation of approximately 1600 m AMSL, suggesting an ecological preference for mid-altitude montane zones. This wide elevational tolerance allows the plant to occupy various ecological niches, from subtropical foothills to temperate mountain slopes, facilitating its resilience to varying climatic conditions and pressure gradients found across these different heights.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Buddleja asiatica is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its stem system above the ground, though it can also be classified within the nanophanerophyte life form category depending on its specific growth habit and environmental adaptations. In terms of its seasonal foliage patterns, the species exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its leaves to support its continuous biological functions throughout its lifespan.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Buddleja asiatica is characterized by its robust growth form, primarily developing as a woody shrub. This plant is strictly terrestrial in its habitat and does not exhibit epiphytic behavior. It functions as a self-supporting organism, possessing a growth habit that does not require climbing structures such as lianas or vines. In terms of stature, the species typically reaches a mean plant height of approximately 3 meters, supported by its woody structural composition.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Buddleja asiatica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation, which is typical for most woody shrubs in the Scrophulariaceae family. This metabolic approach involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO during the light-independent reactions. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interaction, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or actinomycetes necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate to support its growth and secondary metabolite production.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Buddleja asiatica is characterized by a diverse flowering period that typically begins in April and extends through October, though the specific timing can be variable. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, relying heavily on insects for reproductive success, with bees identified as a primary pollinator. Following successful pollination, the plant produces small fruits that vary in size, with a minimum length of 0.3 cm, a mean length of 0.4 cm, and a maximum length of 0.5 cm. Once mature, the dispersal of these fruits follows an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are primarily dispersed by the wind to colonize new areas.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

0.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.4 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Buddleja asiatica 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. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Chemicals

Buddleja asiatica has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids.

Flavonoids

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Buddleja asiatica has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antinociceptive, Free-Radical Scavenging.

Antinociceptive

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Free-Radical Scavenging

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Buddleja asiatica has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include pain.

Pain

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Preparations

Buddleja asiatica has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include fermentation starter cultures.

Fermentation starter cultures

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine