Ceropegia breviflora

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dichaelia pygmaea
• Dichaelia breviflora
• Brachystelma pygmaeum
• Brachystelma pygmaeum subsp. breviflorum

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Gentianales, it is a member of the family Apocynaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Ceropegia and the species Ceropegia breviflora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several key regions of the African continent. Within South Tropical Africa, its distribution can be found specifically in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Moving into the Southern African region, it is also well-established in the Cape Provinces. Furthermore, the species occurs within the KwaZulu-Natal area. Finally, its geographical range extends to include the Northern Provinces of Southern Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ceropegia breviflora is characterized by its specific adaptation to montane environments, where it thrives within a distinct altitudinal gradient. This species is primarily distributed across mid-to-high elevation zones, occupying a niche that begins at a minimum elevation of 800 m AMSL and extending up to a maximum elevation of 1600 m AMSL. Within this specific range, the plant's survival and distribution are closely tied to the environmental variables associated with these altitudes, such as temperature fluctuations, moisture availability, and the particular soil compositions found in these mountainous regions.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

800 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Ceropegia breviflora is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a cryptophyte, maintaining its vital structures protected beneath the soil surface to survive unfavorable conditions. Specifically, its life form is classified as a geophyte, utilizing underground storage organs to facilitate its long-term survival and regeneration within its ecological niche.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ceropegia breviflora is characterized by its diminutive stature, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.07 m. This species exhibits a versatile ecological habit, manifesting as an aquatic, semiaquatic, or terrestrial plant, and is primarily terrestrial in its epiphyte classification. It functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite, meaning it does not rely on a host for nutrients. Furthermore, the plant is classified as self-supporting rather than being an obligatory or facultative climber, maintaining its structure without the need for external support.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.07 m

Plant height min:

0.03 m

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ceropegia breviflora has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Indole-3-butyric acid, Isopentenyladenine, N6-Benzyladenine, meta-Topolin Riboside.

Indole-3-butyric acid

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Isopentenyladenine

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

N6-Benzyladenine

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

meta-Topolin Riboside

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Ceropegia breviflora has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include nodal segments.

Nodal segments

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)