Sea grape

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Jamaican kino
• platterleaf
• sea-grape
• shore sea-grape

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Guaiabara uvifera
• Polygonum uviferum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Caryophyllales. Finally, it is a member of the family Polygonaceae and falls under the genus Coccoloba.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several tropical regions of the world. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is noted specifically in Guinea-Bissau. Its range extends into the Western Indian Ocean, where it can be found on the islands of Mauritius and Réunion. Furthermore, the species is distributed throughout Indo-China, encompassing countries such as Thailand. Finally, its documented locations include Vietnam, highlighting its widespread tropical habitat.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Coccoloba uvifera is characterized by its adaptation to coastal and tropical environments, where it thrives in a diverse range of habitats including sandy beaches, rocky shores, and maritime forests. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1000 m AMSL. It is particularly well-suited to saline conditions and high-light environments, often playing a structural role in stabilizing coastal soils and providing cover in scrublands. Its ability to colonize varied terrains across this elevational range allows it to persist in both low-lying maritime ecosystems and higher-altitude tropical zones.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Coccoloba uvifera is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to maintain a stable presence within its tropical and subtropical habitats over many years. As an evergreen plant, it retains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous photosynthetic activity and structural stability without the seasonal shedding of leaves seen in deciduous species. This continuous growth habit, combined with its long-lived nature, enables the plant to establish robust root systems and dense canopies that contribute to its resilience in coastal and maritime environments.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Coccoloba uvifera is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as either a tree or a shrub. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, instead maintaining an independent existence rather than acting as a parasite. The plant is self-supporting in its climbing habit, meaning it does not require external structures like vines or lianas to maintain its stature. In terms of physical scale, it reaches a mean height of approximately 10.95 meters, contributing to its structural presence within its habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10.9466666666667 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Coccoloba uvifera is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its tropical habitats. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme RuBisCO to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly through the Calvin cycle, a mechanism that is highly effective in environments where water availability supports continuous stomatal conductance. 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 growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Coccoloba uvifera is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects, with bees playing a significant role in the process. The plant exhibits a lack of self-fertilization, ensuring genetic diversity through cross-pollination. Its reproductive cycle produces fruits that are classified as dry, which eventually yield seeds with a highly consistent morphology; the seed volume is measured at a uniform 990 mm³, and the seed mass is consistently 0.855 g. Dispersal of the species is zoochorous, specifically following an endozoochorous pattern, where seeds are dispersed through the internal passage of animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Fruit dryness :

dry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.855 g

Seed volume max:

990 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Coccoloba uvifera 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. ACS omega

Chemicals

Coccoloba uvifera has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gallic acid, METHYL GALLATE, Protocatechuic Acid Methyl Ester, protocatechuic acid.

Gallic acid

1. ACS omega

METHYL GALLATE

1. ACS omega

Protocatechuic Acid Methyl Ester

1. ACS omega

protocatechuic acid

1. ACS omega

Activities

Coccoloba uvifera has 3 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antitumor.

Anticancer

1. ACS omega

Antioxidant

1. ACS omega

Antitumor

1. ACS omega

Conditions

Coccoloba uvifera has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant activity

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Preparations

Coccoloba uvifera has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include total extract.

Total extract

1. ACS omega