Horsewood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Horsewood
• False Horsewood
• samandua

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Zanthoxylum engleri
• Myaris inaequalis
• Amyris inaequalis
• Clausena abyssinica
• Clausena anisata var. paucijuga
• Clausena inaequalis
• Clausena suffruticosa
• Clausena dentata var. longipes
• Clausena dentata var. dunniana
• Clausena willdenowii var. pubescens
• Clausena willdenowii var. dulcis
• Clausena inaequalis var. abyssinica
• Icica dentata
• Cookia anisata
• Fagarastrum anisatum
• Amyris anisata
• Amyris nana
• Amyris suffruticosa
• Elaphrium inaequale
• Clausena anisata var. mollis
• Clausena anisata var. multijuga
• Clausena bergeyckiana
• Clausena pubescens
• Clausena vestita
• Cookia dulcis
• Fagarastrum inaequale
• Clausena suffruticosa var. paucijuga
• Clausena willdenowii var. nana
• Clausena dentata var. dulcis
• Clausena dentata var. nana
• Clausena dentata var. pubescens
• Clausena dentata var. robusta
• Clausena dunniana
• Clausena dunniana var. robusta
• Clausena dentata
• Clausena longipes
• Clausena wightii
• Clausena nana
• Clausena odorata
• Clausena pobeguinii
• Clausena anisata var. pubescens
• Clausena anisata subsp. abyssinica

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 Sapindales and the family Rutaecae, it is classified under the genus Clausena. Specifically, its scientific name is Clausena anisata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Clausena anisata, exhibits a specific distribution across the West Tropical Africa region. Within this area, it can be found growing in the country of Benin. Its presence is also documented throughout the nation of Ghana. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed across Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends into Mali.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Clausena anisata is characterized by a broad adaptive capacity across diverse topographical gradients, allowing it to thrive in various environmental niches. It exhibits a significant altitudinal plasticity, occupying an elevational range that extends from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 2200 m AMSL. This wide distribution enables the species to inhabit a variety of ecosystems, ranging from lowland coastal forests and humid tropical lowlands to higher-altitude montane environments. Its ability to persist across such a vast vertical spectrum suggests a high tolerance for varying temperature regimes, moisture availability, and atmospheric pressures, making it a resilient component of the forest understory and woodland habitats within its geographical range.

Elevational range max:

2200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Clausena anisata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. Structurally, the species is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically functioning as a phanerophyte due to its growth habit where the majority of its photosynthetic organs are located on elevated stems above the ground level. This life form strategy enables the plant to maintain a robust presence and endure various environmental conditions throughout its extended lifespan.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Clausena anisata is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that thrives in terrestrial environments. As a non-parasitic, independent species, it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. The plant displays a significant vertical dimension, with its height typically ranging from a minimum of 2 meters to a maximum of 10 meters, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 7.17 meters. While it possesses a self-supporting structure rather than acting as an obligatory vine or liana, its growth habit is robust and woody in nature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

7.16666666666667 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clausena anisata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. As a plant utilizing this metabolic route, it relies on the enzyme Rubisco for carboxylation, typically favoring environments with moderate temperatures and adequate moisture availability to optimize gas exchange. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to meet its nutritional requirements for protein synthesis and growth.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clausena anisata is characterized by a flexible flowering phenology that can occur throughout the year, with specific seasonal activity often noted around March. The plant produces fruits classified as berries, which are indehiscent in nature, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release their contents. These fruits typically measure an average of 1.25 cm in both length and width. The dispersal of the plant follows a zoochorous syndrome, specifically employing endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed via the internal passage through the digestive tracts of animals. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.07878 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.05543 g to a maximum of 0.10213 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

Mar

Fruit length mean:

1.25 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width mean:

1.25 cm

Seed mass max:

0.10213 g

Seed mass mean:

0.07878 g

Seed mass min:

0.05543 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Clausena anisata has 4 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, fruit, root.

Leaf

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Scientific reports
3. Bioorganic chemistry
4. Drug development and industrial pharmacy
5. The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research

Stem

1. Phytochemistry
2. Bioorganic chemistry
3. Journal of natural products

Fruit

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. MicrobiologyOpen

Root

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Chemicals

Clausena anisata has 25 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tannins, Flavonoids, IMPERATORIN, (E)-Anethole, (E)-Methyl isoeugenol.

Tannins

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Flavonoids

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

IMPERATORIN

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences
2. Journal of toxicology and environmental health

(E)-Anethole

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

(E)-Methyl isoeugenol

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

Chalepin

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Clausenine

1. Phytochemistry

Clausenol

1. Phytochemistry

Coumarins

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Esculin

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health

Activities

Clausena anisata has 8 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anthelmintic, Antifungal, Antimalarial.

Antibacterial

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
2. MicrobiologyOpen

Antioxidant

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Anthelmintic

1. Parasite (Paris, France)

Antifungal

1. MicrobiologyOpen

Antimalarial

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health

Antiproliferative

1. Bioorganic chemistry

Bacteriostatic

1. MicrobiologyOpen

Insect-Repellent

1. The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research

Medicinal Uses

Clausena anisata has 29 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Aspergillus fumigatus, HIV-1, HIV-2, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations