Davilla elliptica

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Davilla elliptica var. castaneifolia
• Davilla goyazensis
• Davilla castaneifolia
• Davilla castaneifolia var. floribunda
• Davilla villosa

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Davilla elliptica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Dilleniales. Finally, it is a member of the family Dilleniaceae and the genus Davilla.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range across several key regions of South America. Its presence is notably documented in Bolivia, marking its distribution in Western South America. Within Brazil, the species is widely spread across multiple diverse territories. Specifically, it can be found in the North, Northeast, Southeast, and West-Central regions of the country. This wide coverage highlights the plant's ability to thrive in various Brazilian landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Davilla elliptica is characterized by its occurrence within specific Brazilian biomes, primarily inhabiting the Campo Rupestre and Cerrado (latu sensu) ecosystems. This species is adapted to these distinct environmental conditions, thriving within a defined altitudinal gradient. Its distribution is found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 100 m AMSL to a maximum of 300 m AMSL, positioning it within lowland to mid-elevation habitats.

Elevational range max:

300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Habitat :

Campo Rupestre, Cerrado (lato sensu)

Life history

The life history of Davilla elliptica is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its ecological niche. In terms of its structural development and growth habit, the species is classified under the life form of a chamaephyte, indicating a growth strategy where the regenerative buds are located close to the soil surface, often protected by a layer of leaf litter or ground cover. This specific life form categorization, encompassing both chamamephyte and phanerophyte-related developmental dynamics depending on environmental conditions, ensures its resilience and long-term survival within its natural habitat.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Davilla elliptica is characterized by its woody structure and a growth form categorized as a shrub, though it functions primarily as a facultative climber. It is an independent organism, existing as a non-parasitic species that does not rely on a host for nutrition. In terms of its habitat and positioning, it is a terrestrial plant rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic one, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, remaining grounded in its environment. As a climber, it possesses the ability to use external supports to ascend, yet it maintains a level of facultative flexibility in its growth habit. The plant can reach a maximum height of approximately 4 meters, utilizing its woody stems to facilitate its upward reach and structural integrity.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Climber :

facultative

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Davilla elliptica is fundamentally characterized by its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a process in which carbon dioxide is fixed directly through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy involves the initial fixation of CO2 into a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate, which dictates the plant's efficiency in gas exchange and water use. As a C3 plant, its physiological performance is highly dependent on environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature, and moisture availability, as it lacks the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. Consequently, its metabolic rates and stomatal conductance are finely tuned to balance the intake of carbon dioxide for biomass production against the transpirational water loss occurring through the leaf epidermis.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Davilla elliptica has 4 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antinociceptive, Cytotoxic, Diuretic, Phytotoxic.

Antinociceptive

1. Journal of natural medicines
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Diuretic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Phytotoxic

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Conditions

Davilla elliptica has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include gastritis, inflammation, pain, ulcers.

Gastritis

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Inflammation

1. Journal of natural medicines

Pain

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ulcers

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Preparations

Davilla elliptica has 3 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Davilla elliptica extract, hydroalcoholic extract, methanolic extracts.

Davilla elliptica extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hydroalcoholic extract

1. Journal of natural medicines

Methanolic extracts

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM