Black Eyed Susan

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Black Eyed Susan
• Ox-Eye Daiy
• Oxeye Daisy
• Wilde Magriet

Scientific Names

Accepted name

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 the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is established within the genus Callilepis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several regions of the African continent. In South Tropical Africa, its presence is noted within the borders of Mozambique. Moving into Southern Africa, it is commonly found throughout the Cape Provinces. The species also inhabits the KwaZulu-Natal region and extends into Eswatini. Finally, its distribution continues through the Northern Provinces of Southern Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Callilepis laureola is characterized by a broad vertical distribution across diverse topographical gradients, allowing it to inhabit a wide variety of environmental niches. This species demonstrates remarkable adaptive plasticity, occupying habitats ranging from sea level to high-altitude montane environments. Specifically, its elevational range extends from 0 m AMSL to a maximum of 2150 m AMSL. This wide altitudinal span suggests that the plant is capable of tolerating a diverse spectrum of temperature regimes, moisture availability, and atmospheric pressures, making it a resilient component of the ecosystems it inhabits across these varying elevations.

Elevational range max:

2150 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Callilepis laureola is characterized by its status as a perennial species, though its growth patterns can exhibit variable tendencies across different environments. As a long-lived plant, it establishes itself through a life cycle that allows for sustained presence in its natural habitat, often forming low-growing mats or spreading via woody stems. Unlike annuals that complete their cycle in a single season, this perennial maintains its physiological functions over multiple years, contributing to the stability of its ecological niche. This longevity enables the plant to undergo successive reproductive phases, ensuring consistent seed production and population persistence over time.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

Morphologically, Callilepis laureola is characterized as a non-woody herb with a growth form categorized as both a herb and a forb. The plant is a self-supporting species rather than a climber, maintaining a terrestrial existence as it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 meters to a maximum of 1 meter.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Callilepis laureola is characterized by its specific seed production metrics, which indicate a highly consistent reproductive output in terms of individual propagule size. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a uniform mass, with a mean seed mass of 0.005 g. This uniformity is reflected in the extreme narrowness of its reproductive range, as both the maximum and minimum recorded seed mass values are identical at 0.005 g. Such precise measurement data suggests a stabilized seed morphology, which is a critical factor in the plant's dispersal and germination strategies within its natural habitat.

Seed mass mean:

0.005 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Callilepis laureola 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 ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Callilepis laureola has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include atractyloside, GSH.

atractyloside

1. South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
2. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
3. Forensic science international
4. Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications
5. Human & experimental toxicology

GSH

1. Clinical biochemistry

Activities

Callilepis laureola has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Nephrotoxic.

Nephrotoxic

1. South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde

Conditions

Callilepis laureola has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include poisoning.

Poisoning

1. South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde

Preparations

Callilepis laureola has 7 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, Tubers, herbal medicines, leaves, medicinal purposes.

Aqueous extract

1. Clinical biochemistry
2. Human & experimental toxicology

Tubers

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Herbal medicines

1. South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde

Leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal purposes

1. Presse medicale (Paris, France : 1983)

Tuber extract

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Tubers

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology