Coffee Bush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Coffee Bush
• False Curry Leaf Tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Amyris punctata
• Cookia anisodora
• Amyris sumatrana
• Murraya burmanni
• Lawsonia falcata
• Cookia graveolens
• Clausena moningerae
• Clausena javanensis
• Clausena excavata var. lunulata
• Clausena sumatrana
• Clausena tetramera
• Clausena excavata var. villosa
• Clausena forbesii
• Clausena lunulata
• Clausena javensis
• Gallesioa graveolens

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized into the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Clausena, as part of the species Clausena excavata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions. It can be found across the Western Indian Ocean, specifically within the Seychelles. In the realm of East Asia, its presence is noted in Taiwan. The species is also widely distributed throughout various parts of China, including the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan regions. Together, these locations highlight the diverse environmental range of Clausena excavata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Clausena excavata is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over multiple growing seasons. Functioning as a phanerophyte, the species maintains its buds well above the ground level, typically manifesting in two distinct growth forms: as a phanerophyte through larger structural development and as a nanophanerophyte in more compact instances. Furthermore, the plant exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout the year to facilitate continuous photosynthetic activity.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Clausena excavata is characterized by its growth form as a tree, reaching a mean height of approximately 8 m. It is a woody plant that maintains a terrestrial habit, rather than being aquatic or epiphytic. In terms of its climbing nature, the species is classified as self-supporting, lacking the specialized structures of an obligatory or facultative climber, such as a liana or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Plant height mean:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clausena excavata is characterized by complex metabolic processes centered on its secondary metabolite production and specialized nutrient uptake mechanisms. As a woody shrub, its physiological framework supports the synthesis of diverse bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, coumarins, and limonoids, which serve as chemical defense mechanisms against herbivory and pathogens. The plant exhibits standard photosynthetic pathways typical of many tropical woody species, facilitating carbon sequestration and energy production to support its growth and chemical synthesis. Regarding its interaction with soil nutrients, the plant does not exhibit the physiological capacity for symbiotic nitrogen fixation; specifically, it is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized root nodules and symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms. Consequently, its nitrogen acquisition is primarily dependent on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clausena excavata is characterized by the production of specialized fruit structures that transition between distinct states, specifically exhibiting a fleshy texture during their developmental stages. The seeds produced within these fruits are of a consistent size, with volumes ranging from a minimum of 150 mm³ to a maximum of 190 mm³, resulting in a calculated mean seed volume of 170 mm³. This specific seed morphology and the fleshy nature of the fruit play critical roles in the plant's reproductive cycle and subsequent dispersal mechanisms.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed volume max:

190 mm³

Seed volume mean:

170 mm³

Seed volume min:

150 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Clausena excavata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem, leaf.

Stem

1. Planta medica
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Phytochemistry
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Journal of Asian natural products research

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chemicals

Clausena excavata has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Clausarin, Clausenidin, Nordentatin, 1H-Indole-3-carboxaldehyde, 3-Formylcarbazole.

Clausarin

1. Planta medica
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Clausenidin

1. Planta medica
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Nordentatin

1. Planta medica
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

1H-Indole-3-carboxaldehyde

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

3-Formylcarbazole

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Aurantiamide acetate

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Clausine D

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Clausine E

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Clausine F

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Clausine L

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Clausena excavata has 1 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.

Cytotoxic

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Conditions

Clausena excavata has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis.

Gram-negative bacteria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Gram-positive bacteria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Malaria

1. Planta medica

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Preparations

Clausena excavata has 4 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves, crude methanol extract, methanol extract from the stem bark, stem bark.

90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Crude methanol extract

1. Phytochemistry

Methanol extract from the stem bark

1. Planta medica

Stem bark

1. Phytochemistry