Crateva magna

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range across several key regions of East Asia. Within China, its presence is widespread, spanning from the South-Central provinces to the Southeast. It can also be found in the tropical climate of Hainan and the high-altitude terrains of Tibet. Beyond the Chinese mainland, the species extends its reach into the island nation of Japan. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various environmental conditions throughout Eastern Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Crateva magna is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its stem branches well above the ground level, a structural life form that facilitates its growth and survival in its natural habitat. This phanerophyte classification further defines its developmental strategy, ensuring that its vital reproductive and vegetative structures remain elevated and protected throughout its extended lifecycle.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Crateva magna is characterized by its stature as a large, woody tree that exhibits a self-supporting growth form. This species can reach a significant plant height, with an average height of approximately 10 m and a maximum potential height of up to 15 m. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. Its structural development is defined by its woody nature, allowing it to stand firmly as a self-supporting tree without the need for climbing mechanisms such as vines or lianas.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Craveva magna is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix carbon dioxide through the enzyme RuBisCO, a process typical of most terrestrial plants in temperate and tropical environments. Regarding its nutrient acquisition capabilities, the species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form and must instead rely on the uptake of nitrogenous compounds such as nitrates or ammonium from the soil.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Crateva magna is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a notable range in physical dimensions. The seed mass within this species is highly variable, with a recorded minimum mass of 0.00855 g and a maximum mass reaching up to 0.0442 g. When considering the population as a whole, the seed mass maintains a mean value of 0.026375 g, reflecting the inherent diversity in the size and weight of the reproductive units produced by the plant.

Seed mass max:

0.0442 g

Seed mass mean:

0.026375 g

Seed mass min:

0.00855 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Crateva magna 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 stem.

Stem

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Crateva magna has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include snakebite envenomation.

Snakebite envenomation

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Preparations

Crateva magna has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include alcoholic extracts, in vitro-grown shoot tips.

Alcoholic extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

In vitro-grown shoot tips

1. Cryo letters