Colubrina arborescens

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range that spans across multiple continents and distinct climatic regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted within the nation of Guinea. Moving toward the Americas, the species can be found in the Southeastern United States, particularly in Florida. Within Mexico, its distribution is widespread, covering the Northeast, the Gulf regions, and the Southwest. Consequently, these locations demonstrate the plant's ability to thrive in varied tropical and subtropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Colubrina arborescens is characterized by its ability to inhabit a broad vertical gradient within its native landscape, spanning from sea level up to an elevation of 1100 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing the species to thrive in diverse environmental conditions ranging from lowland tropical habitats to mid-elevation montane forests. By occupying this span of 0 to 1100 m AMSL, the plant can interface with varying microclimates, moisture levels, and soil compositions, which likely facilitates its distribution across different successional stages of forest ecosystems. This adaptability enables it to persist in various niches within its biological range, contributing to the structural complexity of the vegetation it inhabits.

Elevational range max:

1100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Colubrina arborescens is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to establish a long-lasting presence within its ecological niche. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant maintains a consistent vegetative structure, functioning as an evergreen, which ensures that it retains its foliage and continues photosynthetic activity across various seasons rather than undergoing a period of dormancy typical of deciduous species.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Colubrina arborescens is characterized by its woody growth form, manifesting primarily as a tree or a large shrub. This species is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its physical stature, it is a self-supporting plant that does not require climbing structures, such as lianas or vines, to maintain its upright posture. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with recorded heights ranging up to a maximum of 14 m, though observations indicate a mean height of approximately 17.64 m in certain environments.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

14 m

Plant height mean:

17.64 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Colubrina arborescens is characterized by a standard metabolic framework typical of many woody dicotyledonous species. It utilizes the C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning carbon fixation occurs through the Calvin cycle with Rubisco acting as the primary enzyme, which is an efficient mechanism for growth in temperate to subtropical environments where water availability is relatively consistent. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium or Frankia, in its root systems, and therefore relies on the uptake of inorganic nitrogen sources like nitrates and ammonium from the soil to support its physiological processes and protein synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Colubrina arborescens is driven by biotic pollination mechanisms, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome that involves bees as primary pollinators. The reproductive cycle relies on these biological interactions to facilitate fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds with a highly specific mass profile; the seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.01231 g to a maximum of 0.04 g, with an average seed mass of approximately 0.022505 g. Once the seeds are mature, the dispersal syndrome is characterized as autochorous, meaning the plant employs self-dispersal mechanisms to distribute its progeny.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.022505 g

Seed mass min:

0.01231 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Colubrina arborescens has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include SAPONIN.

SAPONIN

1. Dr. Duke