Davilla rugosa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Davilla rugosa, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Dilleniales and the family Dilleniaceae. It is further identified by its specific genus, Davilla.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to several distinct regions across the tropical landscapes of the Americas. In Central America, its presence is noted within the borders of Guatemala, Honduras, and Panamá. Moving toward the northern part of the continent, the species extends into South America. Specifically, it can be found growing in the territory of French Guiana. Additionally, its geographical range includes the country of Guyana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Davilla rugosa is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and a high degree of habitat versatility across diverse tropical ecosystems. This species can be found across an elevational gradient ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. Its adaptability is further evidenced by its presence in a wide variety of specialized environments, including Campinarana, Restinga, and various forest types such as Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, and Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). This ability to inhabit both nutrient-poor sandy soils and seasonally flooded areas allows the plant to maintain a widespread ecological footprint throughout its range.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Campinarana, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Restinga

Life history

The life history of Davilla rugosa is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, ensuring its long-term persistence within its natural habitat. In terms of its structural life form, the species is classified as a chamaephyte, a designation that reflects its specific growth habit and strategy for surviving varying environmental conditions.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Davilla rugosa is characterized by its woody structure, functioning as a robust and persistent plant. It exhibits a growth form classified as a subshrub and a shrub, though its primary developmental habit is that of an obligatory liana. As a climbing plant, it relies on other structures for support rather than being self-supporting. The species is terrestrial in its ecological positioning, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, maintaining its life cycle within terrestrial habitats rather than as a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Davilla rugosa is characterized by a specialized metabolic framework optimized for its specific environmental niche, most notably through its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, the carbon fixation process occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle, where the enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) directly catalyzes the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate using atmospheric carbon dioxide. This metabolic strategy involves the initial formation of a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate, during the fixation stage. This photosynthetic mechanism dictates the plant's transpiration rates and water-use efficiency, as the reliance on open stomata for CO2 uptake necessitates a physiological balance to mitigate potential photorespiration and water loss. Consequently, the physiological performance of Davilla rugosa is intrinsically linked to its ability to manage gas exchange and light interception within its native habitat.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Davilla rugosa has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Stimulant.

Stimulant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Davilla rugosa has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiety.

Anxiety

1. CNS drugs
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Davilla rugosa has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include plant crude extracts.

Plant crude extracts

1. Pharmacognosy magazine