New Jersey tea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• redroot
• Jersey-tea ceanothus
• New Jersey-tea
• mountainsweet
• wild snowball

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ceanothus americanus var. intermedius
• Ceanothus dillenianus
• Ceanothus ellipticus
• Ceanothus glomeratus
• Ceanothus levigatus
• Ceanothus intermedius
• Ceanothus latifolius
• Ceanothus macrophyllus
• Ceanothus macrophyllus
• Ceanothus multiflorus
• Ceanothus officinalis
• Ceanothus ovalifolius
• Ceanothus perennis
• Ceanothus trinervus
• Ceanothus pitcheri
• Ceanothus procumbens
• Ceanothus virgatus
• Ceanothus sanguineus
• Ceanothus tardiflorus
• Ceanothus hybridus
• Ceanothus ovalis var. intermedius
• Ceanothus americanus var. pitcheri
• Ceanothus americanus var. glaber
• Ceanothus milleri

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. Further taxonomic placement identifies it as a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosales. It is ultimately categorized under the family Rhamnaceae and the genus Ceanothus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across parts of North America. In Eastern Canada, its range extends through the provinces of Ontario and Québec. Moving into the North-Central United States, the species can be found in Illinois. It is also widely distributed across the state of Iowa. Additionally, the plant maintains a presence within the borders of Kansas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Ceaonthus americanus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, though its growth patterns can exhibit variable tendencies depending on environmental conditions. As a perennial, it possesses the capacity to persist through multiple growing seasons, often establishing a stable presence in its habitat through robust root systems that allow for regrowth after dormant periods. While its biological classification leans toward a perennial lifecycle, the plant's developmental stages can fluctuate, occasionally manifesting characteristics typical of annual or biennial cycles in response to specific climatic stressors or resource availability. This variability in its lifecycle allows the species to adapt to changing ecological niches, ensuring long-term survival through sustained vegetative growth and periodic reproductive phases.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ceanothus americanus is characterized by a shrubby growth form, exhibiting a woody structure that supports its development. This plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.91 m, functioning as a self-supporting organism rather than a climbing vine or liana. It is a terrestrial species, neither aquatic nor epiphytic, and maintains an independent lifestyle as it does not function as a parasite.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.91 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cenothus americanus is characterized by its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism wherein carbon dioxide is fixed directly into a three-carbon compound during the first stage of the Calvin cycle. This metabolic strategy involves the enzyme RuBisCO facilitating the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, which is typical for most temperate herbaceous species. As a C3 plant, its physiological processes are highly dependent on environmental conditions such as light intensity, temperature, and water availability, as the efficiency of its carbon fixation can be influenced by photorespiration when stomatal conductance decreases under water stress. The plant's metabolic regulation and energy production are intrinsically tied to this carbon assimilation pathway, which dictates its growth patterns and resource allocation throughout its life cycle.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cenothus americanus is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering window and the production of minute seeds. The plant enters its flowering phase in June and continues its blooming period through September, though the exact timing may remain variable depending on environmental conditions. Following pollination, the plant produces seeds that are notably lightweight. The seed mass exhibits a mean value of approximately 0.0037711665 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.002377 g to a maximum of 0.00406 g.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Seed mass max:

0.00406 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0037711665 g

Seed mass min:

0.002377 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ceanothus americanus has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Betulin, Ceanothetric acid, Ceanothic acid, Maesopsin, betulinic acid.

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

Ceanothetric acid

1. Phytochemistry

Ceanothic acid

1. Phytochemistry

Maesopsin

1. Phytochemistry

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Ceanothus americanus has 23 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticarcinomic.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antifeedant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiflu

1. Dr. Duke

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Ceanothus americanus has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Actinomyces viscosus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus mutans.

Actinomyces viscosus

1. Phytochemistry

Porphyromonas gingivalis

1. Phytochemistry

Prevotella intermedia

1. Phytochemistry

Streptococcus mutans

1. Phytochemistry

Preparations

Ceanothus americanus has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extract.

Methanol extract

1. Phytochemistry