East Indian Island Pea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• East Indian Island Pea

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lourea vespertilionis
• Hedysarum vespertilionis

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. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized into the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified under the specific genus Christia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions of Asia and the Indian Ocean. Within the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found specifically on the island of Mauritius. Its presence in China extends from the tropical island of Hainan to the broader China Southeast region. Additionally, the species is distributed across the Indian Subcontinent, occurring in both Assam and Bangladesh. These diverse locations highlight the varied ecological range inhabited by Christia vespertilionis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Christia vespertilionis is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. As a perennial, it avoids the complete die-back seen in annuals, instead establishing a long-term presence through sustained vegetative structures. This lifecycle enables the plant to accumulate resources over time, facilitating repeated flowering cycles and providing greater resilience to seasonal fluctuations compared to annual or biennial counterparts. Through this extended lifespan, the plant can maintain a stable population within its ecological niche, utilizing its perennial growth habit to maximize reproductive opportunities across successive years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Christia vespertilionis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship, and maintains a terrestrial existence rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. Although it possesses climbing tendencies, it is categorized as a self-supporting plant, rather than an obligatory liana or vine. Furthermore, it is strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit, showing no epiphyte characteristics such as holoepiphytic or hemiepiphytic growth.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Christia vespertilionis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Natural product communications
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Root

1. Natural product communications

Stem

1. Natural product communications

Chemicals

Christia vespertilionis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 7-tetradecenal, Aloeemodin-8-monoglucoside, Bruceine I, Sanjidin B, linolenic acid.

7-tetradecenal

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Aloeemodin-8-monoglucoside

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Bruceine I

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Sanjidin B

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

linolenic acid

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

palmitic acid

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Activities

Christia vespertilionis has 1 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic.

Antidiabetic

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Conditions

Christia vespertilionis has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, antidiabetic.

Covid-19

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Sars-cov-2

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antidiabetic

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Preparations

Christia vespertilionis has 4 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous-methanolic stem (AS) extract, methanol extract, methanolic leaf (ML) extract, methanolic leaves extract.

Aqueous-methanolic stem (as) extract

1. Natural product communications

Methanol extract

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Methanolic leaf (ml) extract

1. Natural product communications

Methanolic leaves extract

1. Chemistry & biodiversity