Dwarf cat's whiskers

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Tinderwood / Tube Flower
• Tube Flower

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Clerodendrum ternatum f. villosum
• Clerodendrum ternatum f. glabricalyx
• Clerodendrum ternatum var. lanceolatum
• Clerodendrum wilmsii

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 Lamiales and family Lamiaceae, it is classified under the genus Clerodendrum. Specifically, Clerodendrum ternatum represents a unique medicinal species within this botanical hierarchy.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of the African continent. In East Tropical Africa, it can be found growing within the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. Moving toward the southern part of the continent, its presence is also noted in South Tropical Africa. Specifically, the species is distributed throughout Angola and Malawi. Finally, its range extends further into the southern region to include Mozambique.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Clerodendrum ternatum is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse landscape types, ranging from open grasslands and Brachystegia woodlands to more complex Commiphora-Terminalia and Combretum-Sterculia-Grewia bushlands. It is frequently observed inhabiting old cultivation sites and is notably adapted to growing in rocky places. This species occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, maintaining a presence from elevations as low as 91 m AMSL up to a maximum of 1500 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

91 m AMSL

Habitat :

grassland, Brachystegia woodland, Commiphora-Terminalia and Combretum-Sterculia-Grewia bushland, also old cultivations, often in rocky places

Life history

The life history of Clerodendrum ternatum is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and maintain its presence within its ecological niche. In terms of its growth architecture and survival strategy, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the renewing buds are located close to the soil surface, enabling the plant to withstand various environmental stressors while maintaining its structural integrity. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and a low-growing, bud-protected life form dictates its ability to colonize and stabilize within its specific habitats over extended periods.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

Morphologically, Clerodendrum ternatum is characterized as a non-woody shrub or herb that typically exhibits a self-supporting growth habit. This terrestrial plant, which functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte, maintains a relatively modest stature with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 1 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.5 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clerodendrum ternatum is characterized by its metabolic processes and nutrient acquisition strategies within its tropical habitat. As a non-nitrogen-fixing plant, it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or actinomycetes required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; therefore, its nitrogen fixation status is categorized as no. Instead, the plant relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to support its physiological development and the synthesis of essential amino acids and proteins. Its metabolic activity is driven by efficient photosynthetic pathways that facilitate carbon assimilation, supporting the growth of its woody stems and the production of its characteristic white flowers and fleshy fruits. The plant's physiological regulation also involves complex secondary metabolic pathways, which result in the synthesis of various bioactive phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and terpenoids, which serve both protective and functional roles within its biological systems.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Clerodendrum ternatum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ARSENIC, CHROMIUM, LEAD, NICKEL.

ARSENIC

1. Analytica chimica acta

CHROMIUM

1. Analytica chimica acta

LEAD

1. Analytica chimica acta

NICKEL

1. Analytica chimica acta

Conditions

Clerodendrum ternatum has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include asthma, rhinitis.

Asthma

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Rhinitis

1. African health sciences