Colombian waxweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Columbian cuphea
• tarweed
• Colombian cuphea
• San Antonio

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lythrum carthagenense
• Balsamona pinto
• Cuphea balsamona
• Cuphea peplidioides
• Cuphea prunellifolia
• Cuphea divaricata
• Parsonsia balsamona
• Parsonsia pinto

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Myrtales and the family Lythraceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Cuphea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across several distinct global regions. Within the Macaronesian islands, it can be found located in the Azores. Its presence extends into West Tropical Africa, specifically within the countries of Guinea and Liberia. Furthermore, it is documented in West-Central Tropical Africa, particularly in Cameroon. Finally, the species reaches East Asia, where it is distributed in China Southeast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cuphea carthagenensis is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse vertical gradients and human-altered landscapes. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, thriving in environments ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2600 m AMSL. Its habitat preferences are notably tied to anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), indicating a high tolerance for disturbed sites, cultivated lands, or urbanized surroundings where human activity has modified the natural landscape. This ability to colonize human-impacted zones across such a vast elevational spectrum suggests a resilient ecological strategy capable of enduring varying climatic conditions and soil compositions found from lowland coastal regions to high-altitude terrains.

Elevational range max:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Cuphea cartagenensis are characterized by a specific karyotype that serves as a fundamental metric for its cytogenetic classification. The plant possesses a diploid chromosome number of 16, a stable genomic configuration that underlies its reproductive biology and inheritance patterns. This chromosomal count is a key genetic marker within the genus Cuphea, influencing the complexity of its genome and providing a basis for studying its evolutionary divergence and potential polyploidy events. The stability of this 16-chromosome arrangement plays a critical role in maintaining meiotic regularity and ensuring the successful transmission of genetic information across generations.

Chromosome number :

16

Life history

The life history of Cuphea carthagenensis is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth habit and life form, it functions as a therophyte, a strategy typically defined by completing its life cycle via seeds and surviving unfavorable conditions in a dormant state. This specific life form categorization is consistent across its developmental stages, identifying it as a therophyte in both its primary and secondary life form classifications.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cuphea carthagenensis is characterized by a growth form primarily consisting of a non-woody herb or forb. It functions as a self-supporting plant, rather than a climber or liana, and maintains an independent lifestyle without acting as a parasite. In terms of its ecological habit, it is a terrestrial species, lacking epiphytic qualities. The plant is relatively small in stature, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.6 m. While it can exist in varying moisture gradients, its primary classification within these traits is terrestrial, distinguishing it from strictly aquatic or semiaquatic life forms.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cuphea cartagenensis is characterized by specific morphological parameters of its foliage, which serve as key indicators of its metabolic and structural adaptations. The leaves exhibit a variable dimension, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, while their widths fluctuate between 0.5 cm and 2.6 cm. These dimensions suggest a leaf architecture optimized for efficient light interception within its ecological niche. Furthermore, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating that its water storage mechanisms are not localized within thickened, fleshy leaf tissues, but rather rely on other physiological processes for moisture regulation and osmotic balance.

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

2.6 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cuphea carthagenensis is characterized by the production of specialized fruit structures and specific dispersal mechanisms. The plant produces fruit in the form of a capsule, which is a dehiscent type, meaning it is capable of splitting open at maturity to release its contents. The seeds produced within these capsules are notably uniform in size, with a recorded seed mass that maintains a consistent value of 7e-04 g, representing the minimum, mean, and maximum mass. Regarding the movement of progeny, the species utilizes an autochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on self-release mechanisms to distribute its seeds.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed mass mean:

7e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cuphea carthagenensis has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Alkanes, Flavonoids, Hippuric acid, Sterols, Tannins.

Alkanes

1. Natural product research

Flavonoids

1. Natural product research

Hippuric acid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Sterols

1. Natural product research

Tannins

1. Natural product research

Triterpenes

1. Natural product research

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

1. Natural product research

ascorbic acid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

ellagic acid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Cuphea carthagenensis has 21 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticarcinomic.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antihypertensive

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Cuphea carthagenensis has 10 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, antioxidant, atherosclerosis.

Bacillus subtilis

1. Natural product research

Staphylococcus epidermidis

1. Natural product research

Streptococcus pyogenes

1. Natural product research

Antioxidant

1. Natural product research

Atherosclerosis

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Diuretic effect

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Herpes simplex virus type 1

1. Fitoterapia

Hyperlipidemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypertension

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

1. Natural product research

Preparations

Cuphea carthagenensis has 7 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include crude extracts, extracts, hydroalcoholic extract, infusions, maceration.

Crude extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Extracts

1. Fitoterapia

Hydroalcoholic extract

1. Natural product research

Infusions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Maceration

1. Natural product research

Ultrasound-assisted extraction

1. Natural product research

Vortex extraction

1. Natural product research