caper bush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Caper
• Flinders-rose
• caperbush

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Capparis vulgaris acutifolia
• Capparis vulgaris inermis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Following its subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Brassicales and the family Capparaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Capparis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern throughout the Mediterranean region of Southwestern Europe. It is found growing in the coastal and inland areas of France and Portugal. Additionally, its presence is noted across several significant island territories. Specifically, it inhabits the Baleares and Corse archipelagos. Finally, the species can also be located within the territory of Sardegna.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Capparis spinosa is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from an elevation of 300 m to a maximum of 2800 m AMSL. It is frequently found colonizing specific environments, particularly within dense secondary shrublands and ruderal vegetation, where it can establish itself in disturbed or marginal sites. To survive in these potentially competitive or high-exposure environments, the plant employs active defense mechanisms, making it well-adapted to its ecological niche.

Defense :

yes

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Habitat :

dense secondary shrub and ruderal vegetation

Life history

The life history of Capparis spinosa is characterized by its long-lived nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to establish a persistent presence in its native arid environments. It functions as a phanerophyte, specifically categorized under the life forms of phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte, which describes its growth habit and the protection of its buds. The plant maintains an evergreen status, retaining its foliage throughout the year to maximize photosynthetic opportunities in harsh climates. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and evergreen deciduousness enables the species to endure seasonal fluctuations while maintaining a robust structural form.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Capparis spinosa is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, exhibiting a terrestrial lifestyle rather than being aquatic or epiphytic. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite. The plant's stature is variable, with a minimum height of 0.3 m, a mean height of approximately 1.75 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 3 m. In terms of its structural habit, it is described as a self-supporting climber, and its shoot orientation is primarily prostrate.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

1.75 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Capparis spinosa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliage consists of orbicular leaves that exhibit specific morphological dimensions, typically ranging in length from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 5 cm, while the width varies between 3 cm and 4.5 cm. Despite its ability to thrive in arid environments, the plant does not exhibit succulence, meaning it lacks specialized fleshy tissues for significant water storage within its leaves. Furthermore, it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the available soil nutrients for its developmental processes.

Leaf form :

orbicular

Leaf length max:

5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

4.5 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Capparis spinosa is characterized by a distinct flowering period that typically begins in May and concludes in July. The plant produces striking pink flowers, which vary in size with a length ranging from 2 to 3.5 cm and a width between 4 and 6 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fleshy, red fruits that serve as the primary reproductive vessels. These fruits exhibit specific dimensions, with a length ranging from 2 to 3 cm and a width between 1.5 and 2 cm. The seeds contained within these fruits are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.006823125 g, with individual seed masses fluctuating between a minimum of 0.00405 g and a maximum of 0.01222 g. Dispersal of the species is achieved through an endozoochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are distributed via the digestive tracts of animals that consume the fleshy fruit.

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

3.5 cm

Flower length min:

2 cm

Flower width max:

6 cm

Flower width min:

4 cm

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit colour :

red

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Fruit width min:

1.5 cm

Seed mass max:

0.01222 g

Seed mass mean:

0.006823125 g

Seed mass min:

0.00405 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Capparis spinosa has 5 reported plant parts identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, flower, root, seed.

Fruit

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytochemistry
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Leaf

1. Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology
2. Scientific reports
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. International journal of biological macromolecules
5. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Flower

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Communications biology
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Nutrients

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Nutrients

Chemicals

Capparis spinosa has 99 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, RUTIN, quercetin, Tannin, Fatty acids.

Flavonoids

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Metabolic brain disease
4. Experimental parasitology
5. Frontiers in plant science

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Communications biology
5. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Tannin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fatty acids

1. Integrative cancer therapies
2. PloS one

Quercetin 3-O-glucoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Quercetin 3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

SAPONIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

STARCH

1. BMC plant biology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Vanillic acid

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. BMC plant biology

Activities

Capparis spinosa has 481 reported activities identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Heliyon

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Immunostimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Capparis spinosa has 43 reported investigations on conditions identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative stress, rheumatism, gout, hyperglycemia, inflammation.

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Central nervous system agents in medicinal chemistry
3. Heliyon

Rheumatism

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Agents and actions
3. PeerJ

Gout

1. Agents and actions
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hyperglycemia

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Complementary therapies in medicine

Inflammation

1. Die Pharmazie
2. Heliyon

Cutaneous leishmaniasis

1. Experimental parasitology

Dna fragmentation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leishmania major

1. Experimental parasitology

Schistosomiasis

1. Helminthologia

Abdominal pains

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Capparis spinosa has 19 reported preparations identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include hydro-alcoholic extract, Capparis spinosa (C. spinosa) extract, DEC, EtH₂O, Powdered roots.

Hydro-alcoholic extract

1. Metabolic brain disease
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
3. Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture

Capparis spinosa (c. spinosa) extract

1. Central nervous system agents in medicinal chemistry

Dec

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Eth₂o

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Powdered roots

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Alcoholic extracts

1. Die Pharmazie

Aqueous extract

1. Agents and actions

Aqueous extracts

1. Mycoses

Caper extract

1. Communications biology

Dried capparis spinosa leaves

1. Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology