Auriculate Dichrocephala

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Auriculate Dichrocephala

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hippia integrifolia
• Ethulia integrifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and order Asterales, it falls into the family Asteraceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Dichrocephala and the species name Dichrocephala integrifolia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning across two major continental regions. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is documented in Italy and the European portion of Türkiye. Moving toward the African continent, it is widely distributed throughout West Tropical Africa. Specifically, the species can be found within the borders of Benin, Ghana, and Guinea. This wide distribution highlights the plant's ability to thrive in varied ecological environments across these regions.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dichrocraphela integrifolia is characterized by its presence within forest habitats, where it thrives across a broad altitudinal spectrum. It occupies a diverse range of environments, ranging from low-lying areas at an elevation of 15 m AMSL to high-altitude regions reaching a maximum of 3500 m AMSL. Throughout its distribution, the species maintains an average elevation of approximately 1100 m AMSL, reflecting its ability to adapt to various climatic conditions found within forested ecosystems across these varying heights.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

15 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Dichrocephela integrifolia is characterized by its status as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire developmental cycle—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological architecture and survival strategy, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form where the plant survives unfavorable seasons in the form of highly resistant seeds. This strategy allows it to occupy transient or seasonal habitats, ensuring that the plant can rapidly colonize available space once environmental conditions become favorable for germination.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Dichrocraphela integrifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a climber or a liana, and it remains an independent organism rather than a parasite. The species is strictly terrestrial, meaning it does not exhibit epiphytic habits or aquatic lifestyles. In terms of stature, the plant is relatively small, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Dichrocraphela integrifolia is characterized by its specific leaf morphological adaptations and a non-succulent structural composition. The plant exhibits significant variability in leaf dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 12 cm, maintaining an average length of approximately 7.5 cm. Complementing this longitudinal variation, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1 cm and a maximum of 4.5 cm, resulting in a mean width of 3.25 cm. These dimensional parameters suggest a flexible photosynthetic surface area capable of adapting to varying environmental light intensities. Furthermore, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating that its physiological strategy for water management and tissue structure relies on standard parenchymatous organization rather than specialized water-storage tissues.

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

7.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

4.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

3.25 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dichrocraphela integrifolia is characterized by a specific flowering phenology and specialized seed dispersal mechanisms. The flowering period typically commences in June and extends through September. The plant produces fruits classified as achenes, which are notably indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release their contents. The seeds produced are extremely lightweight, with a consistent mass measured at $8 \times 10^{-5}$ g across minimum, mean, and maximum values. Regarding dispersal, the species employs a zoochorous syndrome, specifically utilizing epizoochory, which involves the seeds being transported on the external surfaces of animals to facilitate movement to new locations.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit type :

achene

Seed mass mean:

8e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dichrocephala integrifolia has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Chemicals

Dichrocephala integrifolia has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Epifriedelanol, METHYL STEARATE, Tritetracontane, alpha-Amyrin, stearic acid.

Epifriedelanol

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

METHYL STEARATE

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Tritetracontane

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

alpha-Amyrin

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

stearic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

stigmasta-7,22-dien-3-ol

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Activities

Dichrocephala integrifolia has 3 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, Antiaging, Antioxidant.

Anthelmintic

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Antiaging

1. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences

Antioxidant

1. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences

Conditions

Dichrocephala integrifolia has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include family planning, oxidative stress, typhoid fever.

Family planning

1. Heliyon

Oxidative stress

1. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences

Typhoid fever

1. Journal of integrative medicine

Preparations

Dichrocephala integrifolia has 7 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Dichrocephala integrifolia extract, Ethanolic and methanolic extracts, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves, aqueous extracts, dichloromethane fraction.

Dichrocephala integrifolia extract

1. Natural product research

Ethanolic and methanolic extracts

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Aqueous extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Dichloromethane fraction

1. Journal of integrative medicine

Ethanolic extract

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Methanolic and aqueous extracts

1. Die Pharmazie