false calumba

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• false calumba
• Yellow Vine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Coscinium fenestratum var. macrophyllum
• Coscinium fenestratum var. ovalifolium
• Coscinium maingayi
• Coscinium wightianum
• Menispermum fenestratum
• Pereiria medica
• Coscinium miosepalum
• Coscinium peltatum
• Coscinium usitatum
• Coscinium wallichianum

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 Ranunculales, it is classified under the family Menispermaceae. Its scientific name is derived from the genus Coscinium, specifically the species Coscinium fenestratum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. Within the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in both India and Sri Lanka. Its presence also extends significantly into the Indo-China region. Specifically, it is documented to inhabit the territories of Cambodia and Laos. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout Thailand.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Coscinium fenestraatum is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, a growth form where the perennating buds are located high above the ground on woody stems. Within this ecological framework, it exhibits a complex life strategy that can be categorized specifically as a phanerophyte (Life_form_1) and further distinguished as a phanerophyte (Life_form_2), reflecting its development as a climbing woody vine that relies on elevated structural supports to maintain its photosynthetic organs. This perennial habit allows the plant to persist through varying environmental conditions by maintaining its reproductive and vegetative potential in its elevated woody structures.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Coscinium fenestratum is characterized by its robust, woody structure, functioning as an obligatory liana. This climbing plant reaches a significant plant height, with a mean height of approximately 15 m, as it utilizes its woody stems to ascend. Although it exhibits characteristics often associated with a shrub-like growth form in its developmental stages, it primarily functions as a vine to navigate its environment. As a terrestrial species, it is not an epiphyte, instead establishing itself firmly within the ground substrate to support its extensive climbing habit.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Plant height mean:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Coscinium fenestratum is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional strategies adapted to its forest habitat. The plant utilizes the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a method of carbon fixation where the first stable compound produced is a three-carbon molecule, typically functioning efficiently under the shaded, temperate, or tropical forest understories where this species is commonly found. Furthermore, Coscinium fenestratum does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Coscinium fenestratum involves the production of specialized seeds that play a critical role in its dispersal and establishment within its natural habitat. Based on empirical data, the seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly consistent mass, characterized by a uniform seed mass mean of 6.5 g. This consistency is further evidenced by the fact that both the maximum and minimum recorded seed mass values are exactly 6.5 g, indicating a lack of significant variance in the weight of the individual seeds. Such precise uniformity in seed mass suggests a stable reproductive strategy, ensuring that each offspring is equipped with a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support early germination and growth.

Seed mass mean:

6.5 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Coscinium fenestratum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Indian journal of experimental biology
4. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Chemicals

Coscinium fenestratum has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include berberine, Alanine Aminotransferase, CATALASE, Peroxidase, Superoxide dismutase.

berberine

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
2. Chemico-biological interactions
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Alanine Aminotransferase

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

CATALASE

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Peroxidase

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Superoxide dismutase

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

TOCOPHEROL

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Tetraacetyl-d-xylonic nitrile

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

ascorbic acid

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Activities

Coscinium fenestratum has 2 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihyperglycemic, Cytotoxic.

Antihyperglycemic

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Cytotoxic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Conditions

Coscinium fenestratum has 9 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypertension, Gonorrhea, acne, cholesterol, diabetes mellitus.

Hypertension

1. Chemico-biological interactions
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Gonorrhea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Acne

1. BioMed research international

Cholesterol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Diabetes mellitus

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Eye infection

1. Pathogens and global health

Hypercholesterolemia

1. Chemico-biological interactions

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ulcerative colitis

1. Preventive nutrition and food science

Preparations

Coscinium fenestratum has 13 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Alcoholic extract of the stems, Alcoholic stem extract, Maramanjal/Daruharidra, alcoholic stem extract, crude extract.

Alcoholic extract of the stems

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Alcoholic stem extract

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Maramanjal/daruharidra

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Alcoholic stem extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude extracts

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Crude water extract

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Extracted with water

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Extracts

1. Pathogens and global health

Fractions

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine