tuba merah

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• tuba merah
• tuba rabut
• tubaroot

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Deguelia montana
• Pterocarpus montanus
• Paraderris montana
• Derris malaccensis
• Derris caudata
• Derris malaccensis var. aptera
• Derris malaccensis var. millettioides
• Derris pachycarpa
• Derris cuneifolia var. malaccensis
• Derris danauensis
• Deguelia malaccensis
• Paraderris malaccensis

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 falls under the order Fabales and is a member of the family Fabaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Derris.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning several distinct tropical and subtropical regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically within the DR Congo. Its presence extends across Asia, where it grows in China Southeast and on the island of Hainan. The species is also situated within the Indian Subcontinent, notably in Bangladesh. Finally, its range reaches into Indo-China, particularly within the borders of Cambodia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Morphology

The morphology of Derris montana is characterized by its growth as a woody liana, functioning as an obligatory climber that utilizes other structures for support. It exhibits a growth form classified under "other" categories, distinguishing it from standard shrubs or trees, though it possesses woody characteristics. The plant is a terrestrial species rather than an epiphyte, reaching a substantial mean plant height of approximately 15 meters.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

other

Plant height mean:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Derris montana is characterized by a non-succulent vegetative structure, meaning it lacks specialized thickened tissues for water storage and instead relies on typical woody or climbing stem mechanisms to manage hydration. Regarding its nutrient acquisition, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, as it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms. Instead, its metabolic processes focus on drawing available nitrates and ammonium directly from the soil through its root system to support its growth and secondary metabolite production.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Derris montana involves a complex suite of dispersal mechanisms that ensure the spread of its offspring across various environments. The dispersal syndrome of this species is multifaceted, exhibiting a combination of strategies including anemochorous, anthropochorous, autochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecocorous, unspecialized, and zoochorous modes. This diverse array of dispersal traits allows the plant to utilize wind, human activity, self-dispersal, internal animal consumption, external attachment to animals, water currents, ant movement, and generalist animal vectors to propagate its seeds, maximizing its reproductive success through multiple ecological pathways.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Derris montana has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Derrisin, rotenone.

Derrisin

1. Journal of natural products

rotenone

1. Journal of chromatography. A