woolly-leaf white sapote

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• woolly-leaf white sapote
• yellow sapote

Scientific Names

Accepted name

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 categorized within the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Casimiroa, specifically as the species Casimiroa tetrameria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range stretching from North America through Central America. In Mexico, its presence is documented across several distinct regions, including the Gulf coast, the Southwest, and the Southeast. Moving southward, the species is also found within the borders of Belize. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the Central American country of Costa Rica. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where the species can be located.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Casimiria tetrameria is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle within a single year. Throughout its existence, it maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present year-round without the seasonal shedding typical of deciduous species.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Casimiria tetrameria is characterized by its stature as a tree, reaching a mean height of approximately 10 m. This plant exhibits a woody structure and follows a terrestrial growth habit, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its structural support, the plant is classified as self-supporting, lacking the climbing tendencies of a vine or liana.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Casimiroa tetrameria is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a reliance on the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation without the specialized mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. Its leaf morphology and resource allocation are defined by a consistent Leaf Dry Matter Content (LDMC) of 335.9 mg/g, showing no variance between its minimum, mean, and maximum values. This density is complemented by a Specific Leaf Area (SLA) that also remains constant at 119.17 cm²/g across its measured range, suggesting a highly uniform leaf structure regarding the ratio of leaf area to dry mass. Additionally, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen sources rather than symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

335.9 mg/g

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

119.17 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Casimiroa tetrameria is characterized by specific seed morphology and diverse dispersal strategies. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly uniform mass, with a recorded mean, maximum, and minimum value of 4.738 g, indicating a lack of significant size variation within the population. Regarding its movement across the landscape, the plant utilizes a complex dispersal syndrome; while it is primarily categorized as zoochorous, its reproductive success is supported by a multi-modal approach that includes anemochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, and unspecialized dispersal mechanisms.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Seed mass mean:

4.738 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Casimiroa tetrameria has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
2. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Casimiroa tetrameria has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5,6,2',3',5',6'-Hexamethoxyflavone, 5,6,2',3',6'-Pentamethoxyflavone, Furanocoumarin.

5,6,2',3',5',6'-Hexamethoxyflavone

1. Phytochemistry

5,6,2',3',6'-Pentamethoxyflavone

1. Phytochemistry

Furanocoumarin

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Activities

Casimiroa tetrameria has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antisecretory, Spasmolytic.

Antisecretory

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Spasmolytic

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Conditions

Casimiroa tetrameria has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include dysentery, gastrointestinal disorders.

Dysentery

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Gastrointestinal disorders

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Preparations

Casimiroa tetrameria has 2 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanol extract of the leaves, leaves.

Ethanol extract of the leaves

1. Phytochemistry

Leaves

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology