Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions in Eastern Asia. Within China, its presence is documented in the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. Moving further east, it can also be found growing in Taiwan. The species extends its range northward to include the Korean Peninsula. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's significant presence throughout the eastern part of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum is characterized by its growth habit and structural classification within its ecosystem. This plant is primarily categorized as a phanerophyte, as its reproductive shoots are elevated well above the ground level, allowing it to establish a significant vertical presence. While its growth strategy is fundamentally driven by this phanerophyte structure, its physiological adaptability can also be viewed through the lens of a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its capacity to maintain woody or semi-woody stems that remain relatively low or compact depending on environmental stressors and available light. This combination of life forms allows the species to navigate varying degrees of canopy availability, ensuring its survival through robust stem development and efficient resource acquisition.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily functioning as a shrub or subshrub. It is a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor semiaquatic, and it exists as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is self-supporting, lacking the characteristics of an obligatory or facultative climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum is fundamentally characterized by its use of the C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and carbon assimilation strategies. As a C3 plant, the initial fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurs through the enzyme Rubisco, resulting in the direct production of three-carbon molecules within the mesophyll cells. This metabolic process implies that the plant's gas exchange and energy conversion are highly dependent on ambient environmental conditions, such as light intensity and moisture availability, to manage the trade-off between carbon uptake and transpiration. Consequently, its physiological performance is optimized for environments where water is sufficiently available to allow stomatal conductance without inducing severe photorespiration or excessive water loss.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit highly consistent physical properties across the observed sample. The seed mass is uniform, with a recorded mean value of 0.03623 g. This consistency is further evidenced by the fact that both the maximum and minimum recorded seed masses are identical at 0.03623 g, indicating a very low coefficient of variation and a highly stabilized seed size during the reproductive cycle.

Seed mass mean:

0.03623 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum 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 leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products