giant milkweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bowstring-hemp
• crownflower
• crownplant
• giant milkwood
• giant-milkweed
• Crown Milkweed
• Giant Milk Weed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Periploca cochinchinensis
• Asclepias gigantea
• Streptocaulon cochinchinense
• Madorius giganteus

Regional and Traditional Names

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 Gentianales, it is classified under the family Apocynaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Calotropis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several diverse regions. In East Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in Kenya and Tanzania. Its range extends into South Tropical Africa, where it is present in Angola and Mozambique. Additionally, the species is located in the China South-Central region. These scattered locations demonstrate the plant's ability to thrive in various tropical and subtropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Calotropis gigantea is characterized by its ability to thrive in a variety of disturbed and arid environments, often functioning as a pioneer species in wasteland and open landscapes. It is highly adapted to tropical and subtropical climates, showing a preference for well-drained soils and full sunlight exposure. The species occupies a specific altitudinal niche, typically found within an elevational range spanning from a minimum of 100 m AMSL to a maximum of 1400 m AMSL. This broad vertical distribution allows it to inhabit diverse terrains, from lowland coastal plains to mid-altitude hilly regions. Its physiological resilience enables it to withstand drought conditions and saline soils, often forming part of the scrub vegetation in semi-arid ecosystems where competition from denser forest canopies is minimal.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Calotropis gigantea is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. Throughout its life cycle, it maintains an evergreen status, retaining its foliage and structural integrity rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding of leaves. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and evergreen deciduousness enables the species to maintain continuous vegetative presence, contributing to its ability to colonize various habitats effectively.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Calotropis gigantea is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub that functions as a self-supporting, independent organism. It is a terrestrial plant, meaning it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, and it does not exhibit parasitic behavior. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 5 meters, with an average plant height of approximately 3.33 meters. As a self-supporting woody shrub, it lacks the climbing habits of vines or lianas, maintaining a robust and upright structure.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

3.33333333333333 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Calotropis gigantea is characterized by specific morphological dimensions and metabolic processes that define its growth patterns. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation and energy production. Its foliage exhibits significant variability in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 8 cm to a maximum of 20 cm, maintaining an average length of 14 cm. The width of the leaves is similarly variable, measuring between a minimum of 3.5 cm and a maximum of 9.5 cm. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on other soil processes for nitrogen uptake.

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length mean:

14 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

9.5 cm

Leaf width min:

3.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Calotropis gigantea is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily relying on insects such as bees to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Following successful pollination, the plant develops distinct fleshy fruits characterized by a mean length of 8 cm (ranging from 7 to 9 cm) and a consistent width of approximately 3 cm. These fruits contain seeds that are notably lightweight, with a uniform mass of approximately 0.006907 g. The individual seeds within the fruit exhibit a length that varies between a minimum of 5 mm and a maximum of 7 mm, ensuring the dispersal and propagation of the species.

Fruit length max:

9 cm

Fruit length mean:

8 cm

Fruit length min:

7 cm

Fruit width max:

3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

7 mm

Seed length min:

5 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.006907 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Calotropis gigantea has 4 reported plant parts identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, root, fruit.

Leaf

1. Journal of fluorescence
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Scientifica
4. Journal of natural products
5. Parasitology research

Flower

1. Heliyon
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Root

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Fruit

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Calotropis gigantea has 42 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Cardenolides, Terpenoids, BETA-SITOSTEROL, STIGMASTEROL.

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Scientifica
4. International immunopharmacology

Cardenolides

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of natural products
3. G3 (Bethesda, Md.)

Terpenoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Scientifica
3. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. In silico pharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

STIGMASTEROL

1. In silico pharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Saponins

1. Scientifica
2. International immunopharmacology

Steroids

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. International immunopharmacology

Tannins

1. Scientifica
2. International immunopharmacology

Alcohols

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Asclepin

1. In silico pharmacology

Activities

Calotropis gigantea has 12 reported activities identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Cytotoxic.

Anticancer

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. G3 (Bethesda, Md.)

Antimicrobial

1. Scientifica
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. International immunopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Scientifica
2. Natural product research

Cytotoxic

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. International immunopharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. International immunopharmacology

Antifungal

1. Scientifica

Antimalarial

1. G3 (Bethesda, Md.)

Cytostatic

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Hemolytic

1. Scientifica

Medicinal Uses

Calotropis gigantea has 34 reported medicinal uses identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include bleeding, breast cancer, leprosy, rheumatoid arthritis, wound healing.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations