Yellow Cow Wood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Red Memphat
• Yellow Cow Wood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vismia cochinchinensis
• Cratoxylum polyanthum var. macrocarpum
• Stalagmitis erosipetala
• Cratoxylum biflorum
• Cratoxylum carneum
• Cratoxylum chinense
• Elodes chinensis
• Elodes pulchella
• Cratoxylum hypoleucum
• Cratoxylum lanceolatum
• Cratoxylum ligustrinum
• Cratoxylum myrtifolium
• Cratoxylum petiolatum
• Cratoxylum polyanthum
• Cratoxylum polyanthum var. ligustrinum
• Cratoxylum wightii
• Ancistrolobus brevipes
• Ancistrolobus ligustrinus
• Hypericum biflorum
• Hypericum cochinchinense
• Hypericum loureiroi
• Hypericum pulchellum

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 Malpighiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Hypericaceae within the genus Cratoxylum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions of Asia. In China, its presence is noted specifically within the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its range extends into the Indian Subcontinent, where it can be found in Bangladesh. Within the Indo-China region, the species is documented in both the Andaman Islands and Cambodia. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's spread across various tropical and subtropical landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cratoxylum cochinchinense is characterized by a highly specific altitudinal distribution, as it is documented to occur exclusively within a narrow elevational band. Based on available ecological data, the species maintains a consistent presence at an elevation of 1240 m AMSL. This specific vertical positioning indicates that the plant occupies a precise niche within its habitat, with its minimum, mean, and maximum elevational range all converging at 1240 m AMSL. This lack of altitudinal variance suggests that the species is highly specialized to the specific climatic and environmental conditions found at this particular height above sea level.

Elevational range max:

1240 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Cratoxylum cochinchinense is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures, typically developing into a woody form where the buds are borne on branches well above the ground level. Its growth pattern is marked by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a seasonal shedding of its foliage, a strategy often employed to manage water loss or respond to specific climatic cycles. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and deciduous foliage dictates its ecological presence and survival strategies within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cratoxylum cochinchinense is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that is entirely terrestrial in its habitat. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than growing as a liana or vine. The plant exhibits significant variation in stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of 1.5 m to a maximum of 33 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 17.375 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

33 m

Plant height mean:

17.375 m

Plant height min:

1.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cratoxylum cochinchinense is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliar morphology is defined by elliptic-shaped leaves with entire margins, notably lacking any leaf thorns or spines. These leaves exhibit significant dimensional variability, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 10.5 cm (averaging 6.75 cm) and widths ranging from 1 cm to 4 cm. The leaf structure is further quantified by a consistent Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 148.609375 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and resource allocation strategies. Additionally, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its physiological development.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

10.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.75 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

148.609375 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cratoxylum cochinchinense is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects. The flowering process involves blossoms that vary in size, with flower lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm. Following successful pollination, the plant produces small fruits that exhibit specific dimensional ranges; the fruit length typically averages 1 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm, while the fruit width averages 0.45 cm, spanning from 0.4 cm to a maximum of 0.5 cm. The resulting seeds are extremely lightweight, maintaining a consistent mass of approximately 0.00067 g, which serves as a key metric for its seed mass characteristics.

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Fruit length max:

1.2 cm

Fruit length mean:

1 cm

Fruit length min:

0.8 cm

Fruit width max:

0.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.45 cm

Fruit width min:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.00067 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cratoxylum cochinchinense has 3 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem, leaf, root.

Stem

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of natural products
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Chemicals

Cratoxylum cochinchinense has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cochinchinone I, Cochinchinone K, Cochinensoxanthone, Flavonoids, Pruniflorone Q.

Cochinchinone I

1. Natural product research

Cochinchinone K

1. Natural product research

Cochinensoxanthone

1. Natural product research

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Pruniflorone Q

1. Natural product research

Triterpenes

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Activities

Cratoxylum cochinchinense has 1 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of natural products

Conditions

Cratoxylum cochinchinense has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include bacterial infections, burns, fevers, rheumatoid arthritis.

Bacterial infections

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Burns

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Fevers

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Preparations

Cratoxylum cochinchinense has 1 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves of C. cochinchinense.

90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves of c. cochinchinense

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica