Nicobar canoetree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Nicobar canoetree
• bitangoor boonot
• Bintangor Bunut

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Calophyllum warburgii
• Calophyllum paludosum
• Calophyllum solomonense
• Calophyllum spectabile var. ceramicum
• Calophyllum spectabile var. miquelii
• Calophyllum tetrapetalum
• Calophyllum kiong
• Calophyllum lancifolium
• Calophyllum hirtellum
• Calophyllum hibbardii
• Calophyllum diepenhorstii
• Calophyllum cymosum
• Calophyllum cholobtaches
• Calophyllum versteegii
• Calophyllum zschokkei
• Calophyllum spectabile var. diepenhorstii

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 Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Calophyllaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Calophyllum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions. Within the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found on the island of Réunion. Its presence extends into the Indo-China region, where it inhabits Thailand and Cambodia. Additionally, the species is located across various island territories, including the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands. These varied locations highlight its wide ecological range throughout Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Calophyllum soulattri is characterized by its distribution across a diverse altitudinal gradient, typically thriving in habitats that span from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1000 m AMSL. This wide elevational range, starting from 0 m AMSL, suggests an adaptability to various environmental conditions ranging from lowland coastal or riparian zones to mid-elevation tropical forests. As a member of the Calophyllaceae family, its ecological niche is often defined by its presence in moist, tropical environments where it contributes to the forest canopy structure and interacts with local fauna through its flowering and fruiting cycles. The species' ability to inhabit such a broad vertical range indicates resilience to varying levels of humidity, temperature fluctuations, and soil compositions found across these distinct altitudinal belts.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Calophyllum soulattri is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, ensuring a long-term presence within its ecological niche. Throughout its existence, it maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage continuously rather than shedding it seasonally. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and evergreen deciduousness allows the species to maintain consistent metabolic activity and structural stability over many years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Calophyllum soulattri is characterized by its stature as a woody tree, typically exhibiting a self-supporting growth habit. As a terrestrial species, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with an average height of approximately 30 m, though individual specimens may reach a maximum height of up to 26 m. Its structure is defined by its robust, woody nature, distinguishing it from herbaceous or shrubby forms.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

26 m

Plant height mean:

30 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Calophyllum soulattri is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional processes, most notably its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, it fixes carbon dioxide directly through the Calvin cycle, a mechanism typical of many tropical woody species, which dictates its efficiency in carbon assimilation and water-use strategies under varying light intensities. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, meaning it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to meet its nitrogenous requirements for protein synthesis and enzymatic functions.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Calophyllum soulattri is characterized by the development of distinctive fruits and seeds that follow specific morphological patterns. The plant produces fruits that exhibit a fleshy consistency, providing a nutrient-rich medium for the developing embryo. Within these fruits, the seeds are uniform in size, possessing a consistent seed volume with a minimum, maximum, and mean value all recorded at 310 mm³. This precise seed volume suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy, ensuring that each seed contains a standardized amount of biological material necessary for successful germination and early seedling establishment.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed volume max:

310 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Calophyllum soulattri 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 stem.

Stem

1. Natural product research

Chemicals

Calophyllum soulattri has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Trapezifolixanthone, ananixanthone.

Trapezifolixanthone

1. Natural product research

ananixanthone

1. Natural product research

Preparations

Calophyllum soulattri has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include stem bark.

Stem bark

1. Natural product research