Four-leaved bushwillow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Four-Leaved Combretum
• Ternate Combretum
• four-leaved bushwillow

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Combretum multispicatum
• Combretum kamatutu
• Combretum kilossanum
• Combretum zechii
• Combretum reticulatum
• Combretum subvernicosum
• Combretum ternifolium
• Combretum tetraphyllum
• Combretum dalzielii
• Combretum fragrans
• Combretum ghasalense
• Combretum albidiflorum
• Combretum augustinum
• Combretum basarense
• Combretum chevalieri

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 Myrtales. Finally, it is a member of the family Combretaceae and is specifically categorized under the genus Combretum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is found across several specific regions within West Tropical Africa. Its geographical presence begins in the nation of Benin, where it grows in local habitats. It also extends into Burkina, contributing to the biodiversity of that area. Furthermore, the species is distributed through Ghana and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its range includes the country of Guinea, completing its documented western African distribution.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Combretum adenogonium is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that defines its primary life form. The plant exhibits a deciduous growth habit, shedding its foliage periodically, which is a common strategy for managing resource availability and environmental stress.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Combretum adenogonium is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. This species is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that functions independently, lacking both parasitic and epiphytic behaviors. In terms of stature, it exhibits significant vertical development, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 3 meters to a maximum of 12 meters, maintaining an average height of approximately 11 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

11 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Combretum adenogonium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds. As a plant following this metabolic route, it does not employ the specialized CO2-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species, making its carbon fixation processes sensitive to photorespiration under high-temperature or water-stressed conditions. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium available within the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Combretum adenogonium is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, relying primarily on insect vectors to facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers. This reliance on biological agents for fertilization underscores its ecological integration within its habitat. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds with a highly consistent mass profile; the individual seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.09726 g to a maximum of 0.09788 g, maintaining a calculated mean mass of 0.09757 g. This uniformity in seed size suggests a stabilized reproductive strategy aimed at ensuring consistent dispersal and establishment success for the offspring.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.09788 g

Seed mass mean:

0.09757 g

Seed mass min:

0.09726 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Combretum adenogonium has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Planta medica
2. Parasitology research
3. Inflammopharmacology

Stem

1. Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry
2. Planta medica

Chemicals

Combretum adenogonium has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Combretin A, Bellericagenin B, Betulin, STIGMASTEROL, betulinic acid.

Combretin A

1. Gastroenterology research and practice
2. Inflammopharmacology

Bellericagenin B

1. Natural product research

Betulin

1. Natural product research

STIGMASTEROL

1. Natural product research

betulinic acid

1. Natural product research

Activities

Combretum adenogonium has 4 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antiviral.

Analgesic

1. Inflammopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Inflammopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Gastroenterology research and practice

Antiviral

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Combretum adenogonium has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, Plasmodium falciparum.

Herpes simplex virus type 1

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Planta medica

Preparations

Combretum adenogonium has 7 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 80 % MeOH extract of Combretum adenogonium (leaves), 80 % MeOH extracts of Combretum adenogonium (leaves and stem bark), Extracts, alkaloid leaf extract, chloromethylenic extracts.

80 % meoh extract of combretum adenogonium (leaves)

1. Planta medica

80 % meoh extracts of combretum adenogonium (leaves and stem bark)

1. Planta medica

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Alkaloid leaf extract

1. Parasitology research

Chloromethylenic extracts

1. Parasitology research

Methanolic extracts

1. Parasitology research

Methanolic extracts of the stem barks

1. Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry