Dendrocnide sinuata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dendrocnide pulus
• Urtica obnoxia
• Urtica sinuata
• Urticastrum crenulatum
• Laportea integrifolia
• Dendrocnide crenulata

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Rosales and the family Urticaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Dendrocnide as the species Dendrocnide sinuata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several key regions across Asia. Within China, it can be found in the South-Central provinces as well as the Southeast regions. Its presence extends to the tropical island of Hainan and the high-altitude areas of Tibet. Additionally, the species is located within the Indian Subcontinent, specifically in the Assam region. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to inhabit multiple distinct ecological zones.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dendrocnide sinuata is defined by its specific altitudinal distribution within its natural habitat, where it occupies a distinct vertical niche. This species is primarily found at lower to mid-range elevations, maintaining a minimum presence at 300 m AMSL and reaching its maximum recorded elevation at 1000 m AMSL. On average, the plant thrives at a mean elevation of 550 m AMSL, suggesting that its optimal environmental conditions, such as temperature gradients and atmospheric pressure, are most effectively met within this specific mid-altitude belt.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

550 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Morphology

The morphology of Dendrocnidye sinuata is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that reaches significant dimensions, with heights ranging from a minimum of 3 m to a maximum of 10 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 5 m. As a terrestrial species, it does not inhabit aquatic or semiaquatic environments; instead, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. While it possesses a self-supporting structure and does not function as a liana or vine, it is classified as an obligatory epiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

obligatory

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

5 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological profile of Dendrocnide sinuata is characterized by significant morphological variability in its foliage, which plays a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and resource acquisition. The leaves exhibit a broad range of dimensions, with a mean leaf length of 27.5 cm, though individual specimens can vary from a minimum of 10 cm to a maximum of 45 cm. This longitudinal plasticity is complemented by a substantial variation in leaf width, which ranges from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 20 cm, maintaining a mean width of 12.5 cm. These dimensional fluctuations suggest a dynamic physiological adaptation to light interception and transpiration demands within its specific ecological niche, where the leaf surface area is optimized to balance carbon fixation with water loss.

Leaf length max:

45 cm

Leaf length mean:

27.5 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

20 cm

Leaf width mean:

12.5 cm

Leaf width min:

5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dendrocnide sinuata culminates in the development of characteristic fruits that exhibit specific morphological dimensions. These fruits vary in size, with a recorded minimum length of 0.5 cm and a maximum length reaching up to 0.6 cm. On average, the fruit length of this species is approximately 0.55 cm, reflecting a relatively consistent size range during its reproductive cycle.

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Dendrocnide sinuata has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant.

Antibacterial

1. SpringerPlus

Antioxidant

1. SpringerPlus

Preparations

Dendrocnide sinuata has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extract.

Methanol extract

1. SpringerPlus