East Asian beautyberry

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Japanese beauty-berry
• Japanese Beautyberry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Amictonis japonica
• Callicarpa antaoensis
• Callicarpa caudatifolia
• Callicarpa kotoensis
• Callicarpa japonica var. erythrocarpa
• Callicarpa japonica var. leucocarpa
• Callicarpa japonica f. leucocarpa
• Premna staminea
• Callicarpa longifolia var. subglabrata
• Callicarpa japonica f. albiflos
• Callicarpa japonica f. albibaccata
• Callicarpa japonica f. albifructus
• Callicarpa japonica f. angustifolia
• Callicarpa japonica f. kiiruninsularis
• Callicarpa japonica var. kotoensis
• Callicarpa japonica subsp. luxurians
• Callicarpa japonica var. luxurians
• Callicarpa japonica f. taquetii
• Callicarpa murasaki
• Callicarpa taquetii
• Callicarpa australis
• Callicarpa japonica f. parvifolia
• Callicarpa japonica f. latifolia
• Callicarpa japonica f. rugosior
• Callicarpa japonica var. taquetii

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 within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae, it follows the order Lamiales and is situated in the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Callicarpa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across various regions of Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted in the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast territories. Additionally, the species can be found growing in the Manchuria region of China. Its range also extends beyond the mainland to include the islands of Japan. Consequently, the geographical footprint of Callicarpa japonica spans several distinct ecological zones within the East Asian landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Callicarpa japonica is characterized by its status as a perennial species, ensuring its continued existence through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth patterns and ecological positioning, the plant exhibits a dual classification within different botanical life form frameworks; it is primarily categorized as a phanerophyte, possessing woody stems that elevate its foliage above the ground, while it also fits the description of a nanophanerophyte due to its relatively low-growing, shrubby stature. This life history strategy allows the plant to maintain a perennial presence within its habitat, utilizing its woody architecture to survive seasonal changes and establish long-term stability in its ecosystem.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Callicarpa japonica is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically developing as a self-supporting shrub. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, nor does it function as a climber, liana, or vine, instead maintaining a robust, upright structure. The plant is an independent organism, meaning it is not a parasite and does not rely on a host for nutrients. Its structural integrity is defined by its woody tissue, which supports its shrubby habit and distinguishes it from herbaceous or graminoid life forms.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Callicarpa japonica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy typical of most temperate woody shrubs where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. This C3 mechanism involves the direct fixation of atmospheric CO2 by the enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) to form 3-phosphoglycerate. To support this process, the plant exhibits specialized physiological adaptations for nutrient uptake and water management, utilizing a robust root system to facilitate the transpiration stream necessary for maintaining turgor pressure and facilitating gas exchange through its stomata. The metabolic efficiency of its C3 pathway is closely tied to environmental temperature and light availability, influencing the plant's growth rates and the secondary metabolite production essential to its medicinal properties.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Callicarpa japonica is characterized by the production of fleshy fruits that serve as the primary vessel for seed dispersal. Within these fleshy structures, the seeds exhibit highly consistent volumetric dimensions, maintaining a uniform seed volume of 1.2 mm³, which remains constant across both minimum and maximum recorded values (mean of 1.2 mm³). While the volume is consistent, the seed mass shows a degree of variability; the individual seeds range from a minimum mass of 0.00126 g to a maximum mass of 0.0054 g, resulting in an overall average seed mass of 0.00333 g. This combination of fleshy fruit morphology and specific seed metrics facilitates the plant's reproductive cycle and dispersal mechanisms.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

0.0054 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00126 g

Seed volume max:

1.2 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Callicarpa japonica has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Hemostatic.

Antibacterial

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Antioxidant

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Hemostatic

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Conditions

Callicarpa japonica has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include lipid peroxidation.

Lipid peroxidation

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials