Carissa edulis

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bush Plum
• Conkerberry
• Currant Bush
• Egyptian Carissa
• Num-num
• Wild karanda
• carandas-plum
• currentbush
• kunkerberry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Carissa edulis f. nummularis
• Carissa septentrionalis
• Carissa carandas var. congesta
• Arduina edulis
• Arduina inermis
• Jasminonerium pubescens
• Jasminonerium suavissimum
• Carissa carandas var. paucinervia
• Carissa edulis var. sechellensis
• Carissa edulis subsp. continentalis
• Carissa cornifolia
• Carissa densiflora
• Carissa diffusa
• Carissa edulis var. ambungana
• Carissa edulis var. comorensis
• Carissa gangetica
• Antura edulis
• Carissa axillaris
• Carissa paucinervia
• Arduina campenonii
• Jasminonerium sechellense
• Carissa pubescens
• Damnacanthus esquirolii
• Carissa revoluta
• Carissa laotica var. ferruginea
• Arduina xylopicron
• Carissa richardiana
• Azima pubescens
• Jasminonerium xylopicron
• Jasminonerium densiflorum
• Jasminonerium dulce
• Carissa obovata
• Jasminonerium edule
• Carissa oleoides
• Jasminonerium madagascariense
• Carissa opaca
• Jasminonerium inerme
• Carissa villosa
• Carissa suavissima
• Carissa sechellensis
• Carissa hirsuta
• Carissa horrida
• Carissa inermis
• Carissa macrophylla
• Carissa madagascariensis
• Carissa laotica
• Carissa dalzellii
• Carissa densiflora var. microphylla
• Carissa cochinchinensis
• Carissa comorensis
• Carissa congesta
• Carissa coriacea
• Carissa xylopicron
• Carissa yunnanensis
• Carissa campenonii
• Carissa candolleana
• Carissa dulcis
• Carissa edulis
• Carissa edulis var. densiflora
• Carissa edulis var. horrida
• Carissa edulis var. lucubea
• Carissa edulis subsp. madagascariensis
• Carissa edulis var. major
• Carissa edulis var. microphylla
• Carissa edulis var. nummularis
• Carissa edulis var. revoluta
• Carissa edulis var. septentrionalis
• Carissa edulis var. subtrinervia
• Carandas edulis
• Cabucala brachyantha
• Carissa edulis f. pubescens

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. It is further classified within the order Gentianales and the family Apocynaceae. Finally, its taxonomic designation is completed within the genus Carissa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is specifically noted within the borders of Egypt. Moving towards the Atlantic, it can be found inhabiting the Macaronesian islands of Cape Verde. The species also extends into West Tropical Africa, where it is documented in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, its range continues through the West Tropical African nation of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Carissa spinarum is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to elevations as high as 1950 m AMSL. This species thrives within specific ecological niches, most notably in dry forests and dense secondary shrublands. Additionally, it frequently colonizes ruderal vegetation, demonstrating a robust ability to persist in disturbed areas and transitional landscapes where sunlight and space are available.

Elevational range max:

1950 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

dry forest, dense secondary shrub and ruderal vegetation

Life history

The life history of Carissa spinarum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Functionally, it exhibits life forms categorized as both a phanerophyte, due to its woody, shrubby structure, and a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its growth habits within its specific ecological niches. Throughout its life cycle, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains present year-round to support continuous metabolic processes and resilience.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

Morphologically, Carissa spinarum is characterized as a woody shrub that functions as a self-supporting growth form rather than a climbing liana or vine. The plant is entirely terrestrial in its ecological habit, existing neither as an aquatic, semiaquatic, nor epiphytic species. It maintains an independent life cycle as a non-parasitic organism. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in size, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 5.5 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5.5 m

Plant height mean:

3 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Carissa spinarum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliage consists of oval-shaped leaves with entire margins, exhibiting a dimensional range in length from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 4 cm, while the width varies between 1 cm and 3.5 cm. Morphologically, the leaves are devoid of thorns, though the plant does possess spines. The leaf structure is further defined by a Specific Leaf Area (SLA) that is remarkably consistent, with a minimum, maximum, and mean value of approximately 68.50 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its strategy for resource acquisition. Additionally, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on established soil nitrogen levels for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf form :

oval

Leaf length max:

4 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

yes

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

3.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

68.49928273 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Carissa spinarum is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects with bees acting as key pollinators. The plant produces fruits classified as berries, which are characterized by a fleshy consistency. The dispersal of its seeds follows a zoochorous strategy, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed after being ingested by animals. Regarding the seeds, they exhibit a variable mass ranging from a minimum of 0.00839 g to a maximum of 0.33056 g, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.1101175 g. The seed volume is highly consistent, recorded at a minimum, maximum, and mean of 180 mm³.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit type :

berry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.33056 g

Seed mass mean:

0.1101175 g

Seed mass min:

0.00839 g

Seed volume max:

180 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Carissa spinarum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf, fruit.

Root

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of toxicology
4. Indian journal of experimental biology

Leaf

1. Infection and drug resistance
2. Journal of parasitology research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fruit

1. Journal of food science and technology

Chemicals

Carissa spinarum has 31 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Lupeol, Saponins, Tannins, Ursolic acid.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Journal of food science and technology

Lupeol

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

Saponins

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Tannins

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Ursolic acid

1. Natural product research
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

vitamin C

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of food science and technology

2,3,3-Trimethyl-2-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-6-methylenecyclohexanone

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethylbenzofuran

1. Natural product research

7-Hydroxy-6-methoxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one

1. Natural product research

9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Activities

Carissa spinarum has 7 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Anthelmintic, Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antipyretic.

Antimicrobial

1. Natural product research
2. Microscopy research and technique

Anthelmintic

1. Natural product research

Anticancer

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antioxidant

1. Microscopy research and technique

Antipyretic

1. Natural product research

Antiviral

1. Natural product research

Aphrodisiac

1. Journal of toxicology

Medicinal Uses

Carissa spinarum has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anaplasmosis, anthelmintic, antipyretic, antiviral, asthma.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations