Coussarea brevicaulis

Coussarea brevicaulis, commonly known as a significant medicinal shrub in tropical regions, holds profound ethnobotanical value. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, this plant is frequently utilized in traditional medicine to treat various ailments. Its unique phytochemical profile offers promising potential for pharmacological research and modern natural healing treatments.

  • Scientific name: Coussarea brevicaulis
  • Family: Rubiaceae
  • Native range: Southern America

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Coussaréa brevicaulis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Gentianales. Finally, it is classified under the family Rubiaceae and the genus Coussaréa.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Gentianales WCVP
Family Rubiaceae WCVP
Genus Coussarea WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Coussarea brevicaulis, is known by various regional names depending on the local language. In English, it is frequently referred to as the short-stemmed coussaréa, while in Swahili, it is commonly known as mshubiri. These diverse common names reflect the plant's integration into the local linguistic and medicinal traditions of the regions where it grows.
Language Common Name Source

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several distinct regions of the South American continent. In Northern South America, it can be found growing within the borders of Venezuela. Its presence extends into Western South America, where it inhabits the territories of Colombia and Ecuador. The species is also documented occurring throughout the country of Peru. Finally, its range reaches into the northern reaches of Brazil.

Region Area Source
Northern South America Venezuela WCVP
Western South America Colombia WCVP
Western South America Ecuador WCVP
Western South America Peru WCVP
Brazil Brazil North WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Coussarea brevicaulis, utilizes its stems as a structural foundation for its growth and a vital component for its medicinal properties. The stems provide the necessary support for the leaves and reproductive organs while serving as a conduit for transporting nutrients throughout the organism. In various traditional applications, different sections of the stems may be processed to extract bioactive compounds used in herbal remedies.
Total parts
1
Scientific sources
1
Plant Part Sources Confidence
stems 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Coussarea brevicaulis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3-epi-spathodic acid, barbinervic acid, coussaric acid, scutellaric acid, stigmasterol.

Total chemicals
6
Scientific sources
6

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
3-epi-spathodic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
barbinervic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
coussaric acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
scutellaric acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
stigmasterol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
stigmasterol glucoside 1 ★☆☆☆☆