tzimah tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• callebasse boite
• callebasse coricon
• callebasse longue
• tree calabash
• wild calabash
• Calabash Tree
• Goobie Tree
• calabash-tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Crescentia fasciculata
• Crescentia arborea
• Crescentia cuneifolia
• Crescentia acuminata
• Crescentia spathulata
• Crescentia pumila
• Crescentia plectantha
• Crescentia cujete var. puberula

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Crescentia cujete, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Bignoniaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Crescentia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution that spans several distinct global regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in both Benin and Gambia. Moving across the continent, it can also be found in the Northeast Tropical African nation of Chad. The species extends its range to the Western Indian Ocean, specifically within the Comoros. Finally, its distribution reaches as far as the Indian Subcontinent in Bangladesh.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Crescentia cujete is characterized by its adaptability to diverse landscapes, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1370 m AMSL. While it can be found in various natural settings, it frequently establishes itself within "Área Antrópica" (anthropogenic areas), demonstrating a notable resilience to human-modified environments and disturbed habitats. Its ability to thrive across this broad elevational gradient, from 0 m AMSL to its maximum recorded height, allows it to occupy a wide variety of ecological niches within tropical and subtropical regions.

Elevational range max:

1370 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Crescentia cujete is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody branches, a structural trait shared across its classification as both a phanerophyte and a phanerophyte life form. The species exhibits a deciduous habit, meaning it undergoes a period of leaf shedding, typically in response to seasonal environmental changes or dry periods.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Crescentia cujete is characterized by a woody growth form that manifests as both a tree and a shrub. This species typically reaches a mean plant height of 10 m, though its stature can vary with a maximum height recorded at 4 m. It is a terrestrial plant, existing independently without parasitic tendencies, and it functions as a self-supporting structure rather than a liana, vine, or climber. Furthermore, it is not an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial habit throughout its life cycle.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Crescentia cujete is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its tropical habitat. As a plant utilizing the C3 pathway, it fixes atmospheric carbon dioxide directly through the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle, a mechanism that typically requires consistent moisture availability to minimize photorespiration. Furthermore, Crescentia cujete does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrogenous compounds directly from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Crescentia cujete is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on bats as the primary pollinators to facilitate fertilization. The reproductive process results in the development of seeds that exhibit significant morphological variation; these seeds possess a minimum length of 6 mm and can reach a maximum length of 30 mm. On average, the seeds are quite lightweight, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.00989 g.

Pollination syndrome :

bat

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

30 mm

Seed length min:

6 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.00989 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Crescentia cujete 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 fruit.

Fruit

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Chemicals

Crescentia cujete has 20 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins, 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione, 2-isopropenylnaphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione.

Flavonoids

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Saponins

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Tannins

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

2-(1-hydroxyethyl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione

1. Journal of natural products

2-isopropenylnaphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione

1. Journal of natural products

5-Hydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone

1. Journal of natural products

5-hydroxy-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione

1. Journal of natural products

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders

Cardiac Glycosides

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Isoflavone

1. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders

Activities

Crescentia cujete has 7 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Anthelmintic, Antiangiogenic, Antibacterial, Antioxidant.

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Anthelmintic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antiangiogenic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antibacterial

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antioxidant

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antivenom

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Cytotoxic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Conditions

Crescentia cujete has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include fungi, hypertension, skin diseases, type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Fungi

1. African journal of medicine and medical sciences

Hypertension

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Skin diseases

1. Preventive veterinary medicine

Type-2 diabetes mellitus

1. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders

Preparations

Crescentia cujete has 5 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include MeCOEt extract, aqueous aerial parts, formulas for a preparation obtained using the fruit, organic (particularly ethanol) aerial parts, pulp.

Mecoet extract

1. Journal of natural products

Aqueous aerial parts

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Formulas for a preparation obtained using the fruit

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Organic (particularly ethanol) aerial parts

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Pulp

1. Preventive veterinary medicine