Clathrotropis nitida

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Diplotropis nitida

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. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Its specific taxonomic identification is placed within the genus Clathrotropis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range across several regions of the South American continent. In Northern South America, it can be found growing within the borders of Venezuela. Its presence extends into Western South America, specifically throughout the territory of Colombia. Additionally, the species is distributed within the northern reaches of Brazil. Together, these locations define the natural habitat for Clathrotropis nitida.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Clathrotropis nitida is characterized by its specific preference for the Floresta de Várzea, a type of seasonal floodplain forest found in tropical river basins. This specialized habitat indicates that the species is adapted to environments subject to periodic flooding, playing a role in the complex hydrological cycles of its ecosystem. In terms of its altitudinal distribution, the species maintains a mean elevational range of approximately 500 m AMSL (meters above sea level), positioning it within middle-altitude lowland environments.

Elevational range mean:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Várzea

Morphology

The morphology of Clathrotropis nitida is characterized by its robust, woody structure, functioning as a self-supporting tree that can reach a maximum height of 15 meters. Although some related botanical classifications may consider aquatic or semiaquatic niches, this species is fundamentally terrestrial in its growth habit and does not function as an epiphyte, remaining strictly terrestrial rather than acting as a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte. It is an independent organism, lacking any obligatory or facultative parasitic relationship with host plants. As a self-supporting tree, it possesses a woody stem architecture that distinguishes it from herbaceous, shrubby, or vine-like growth forms, providing the structural integrity necessary to maintain its vertical stature in its natural habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clathrotropis nitida is characterized by its specialized metabolic processes, most notably its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. As a C3 plant, the carbon dioxide assimilation process occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells, where the enzyme RuBisCO catalyzes the initial fixation of CO2 into a three-carbon compound. This metabolic strategy dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and gas exchange dynamics, as it lacks the specialized Kranz anatomy found in C4 species or the nocturnal acid accumulation characteristic of CAM metabolism. Consequently, its physiological performance, including stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate, is highly sensitive to environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature, and moisture availability, which influence the rate of photorespiration and overall biomass production.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clathrotropis nitida is characterized by its specific seed morphology and weight distribution. The production of offspring is centered around seeds that exhibit a highly uniform mass, with no observed variation across the sampled population. Specifically, the seed mass is remarkably consistent, maintaining a mean, maximum, and minimum value of 0.153 g. This lack of deviation in seed mass suggests a highly standardized reproductive output, where each seed carries a precise amount of nutrient reserves essential for the initial stages of germination and seedling establishment.

Seed mass mean:

0.153 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Clathrotropis nitida has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed.

Seed

1. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics

Chemicals

Clathrotropis nitida has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include GLYCOPROTEIN, Lectin.

GLYCOPROTEIN

1. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics

Lectin

1. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics