the king of Stapelia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• the king of Stapelia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Caralluma hirtiflora
• Ceropegia retrospiciens
• Stapelia desmidorchis
• Stapelia congestiflora
• Desmidorchis acutangula
• Caralluma retrospiciens
• Caralluma retrospiciens var. acutangula
• Caralluma retrospiciens var. glabra
• Caralluma retrospiciens var. hirtiflora
• Caralluma retrospiciens var. laxiflora
• Caralluma retrospiciens var. tombuctuensis
• Caralluma retrospiciens subsp. tombuctuensis
• Caralluma russelliana
• Caralluma tombuctuensis
• Boucerosia tombuctuensis
• Boucerosia russeliana
• Boucerosia acutangula
• Caralluma acutangula

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianaales, it is classified under the family Apocynaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Desmidorchis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is documented within the borders of Algeria and Morocco. Moving toward West Tropical Africa, the species can be found inhabiting the landscapes of Burkina. It is also distributed throughout the country of Ghana in the same tropical zone. Additionally, the plant extends its range into Mali to complete its regional presence.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Desmidorchis retrospiciens is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth habit and survival strategy, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the vegetation is located near or just above the soil surface, often protected by leaf litter or seasonal debris. This designation applies to both its primary life form classification and its specific ecological niche, ensuring its resilience through varying environmental conditions within its habitat.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Desmidorchis retrospiciens is characterized by its growth form as a woody subshrub, exhibiting a structural complexity that transitions between a shrub and a more compact subshrubby habit. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite and maintains a terrestrial existence, growing directly in the soil rather than as an epiphyte. While it possesses woody characteristics, its climbing habit is classified as self-supporting, allowing the plant to maintain its structure through its own mechanical strength without the need for external hosts.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Reproduction

Reproduction in Desmidorchis retrospiciens is characterized by the production of specialized seeds that exhibit highly consistent physical properties. The reproductive output of this species is defined by a uniform seed mass, with both the mean, maximum, and minimum values recorded at 0.0065 g. This lack of variance in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy, where each individual seed produced maintains a precise weight of 0.0065 g, ensuring a consistent dispersal and germination potential across the population.

Seed mass mean:

0.0065 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Desmidorchis retrospiciens has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer.

Anticancer

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Preparations

Desmidorchis retrospiciens has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include alcohol extract, methanolic extract of whole plant.

Alcohol extract

1. Phytochemistry

Methanolic extract of whole plant

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences