Cayaponia tayuya

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Allagosperma tayuya
• Arkezostis piauhiensis
• Alternasemina tayuia
• Cayaponia piauhiensis
• Trianosperma tayuya
• Trianosperma piauhiense
• Trianosperma tayuya var. pallidum
• Arkezostis tayuya
• Bryonia cordatifolia
• Bryonia tajuja

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Cucurbitaleales, it falls under the family Cucurbitaceae. Its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Cayaponia, within which the species Cayaponia tayuya is placed.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the diverse landscapes of Western South America. Specifically, its natural range includes significant populations found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. Beyond the western regions, the species also extends into the vast territory of Brazil. Within Brazil, it can be located in the West-Central area as well as the Northeast region. Therefore, its geographical presence spans multiple ecological zones across the South American continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cayaponia tayuya is characterized by its presence in diverse and specific Brazilian biomes, ranging from the semi-arid Caatinga (strictu sensu) to more humid environments such as the Floresta Ciliar or Galeria (riparian forests), the Floresta Ombrófila (rainforests), and the coastal Restinga ecosystems. This adaptability allows the species to inhabit both seasonally dry landscapes and moisture-rich forest corridors. Furthermore, the plant occupies a specific vertical distribution within its environment, with a documented minimum elevation of 600 m AMSL (meters above sea level).

Elevational range min:

600 m AMSL

Habitat :

Caatinga (stricto sensu), Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Restinga

Life history

The life history of Cayaponia tayuya is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its life cycle in a single year. As a long-lived species, it undergoes continuous developmental phases that support its sustained presence in its natural habitat. This perennial lifecycle enables the plant to establish robust root systems and accumulate necessary resources over time, facilitating its long-term survival and its ability to reproduce across successive years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cayaponia tayuya is characterized by its growth habit as a non-woody, liana-type climber. It functions as an obligatory climber, relying on external structures for support rather than being self-supporting. While its ecological niches can vary across aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial environments, the plant is fundamentally classified as terrestrial in its primary growth state. It does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, maintaining a terrestrial existence rather than growing as a holoepiphyte, hemiepiphyte, or facultative epiphyte. Furthermore, the species is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with its host plants, and remains distinctly non-woody throughout its structural development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Cayaponia tayuya has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic.

Analgesic

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Preparations

Cayaponia tayuya has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 10% infusion (dry plant), 20% (fresh plant).

10% infusion (dry plant)

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

20% (fresh plant)

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz