Dicliptera verticillata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dicliptera umbellata
• Dicliptera maculata var. senegambica
• Dianthera verticillata
• Justicia ocymoides
• Dicliptera spinulosa
• Dicliptera senegambica
• Dicliptera ocymoides
• Dicliptera micranthes
• Diapedium verticillatum
• Diapedium umbellatum
• Diapedium cuspidatum
• Hypoestes umbellata

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, it is specifically positioned in the family Acanthaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Dicliptera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution that spans across several regions. In the Macaronesian islands, its presence is noted in Cape Verde. Moving to the mainland, it is widely distributed throughout West Tropical Africa. Specifically, it can be found in countries such as Burkina, Gambia, and Ghana. Additionally, its range extends further south into the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dicliptera verticillata is specifically characterized by its presence within a narrow altitudinal band, indicating a specialized niche within its habitat. This species thrives within a restricted elevational range, occurring strictly between 915 m AMSL and a maximum of 960 m AMSL. This limited vertical distribution suggests that the plant is highly adapted to the specific environmental parameters—such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, and moisture levels—found within this precise mid-elevation zone. Such a specialized ecological requirement implies that its survival is closely tied to the particular microclimates and soil compositions found at these specific altitudes.

Elevational range max:

960 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

915 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Dicliptera verticillata is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, completing its entire developmental cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season. In terms of its growth habit and structural strategy, it functions as a therophyte, meaning it survives unfavorable conditions through the production of seeds rather than persistent vegetative organs. This life form is consistent across its developmental stages, as it lacks specialized survival structures like rhizomes or woody stems, relying instead on its rapid annual lifecycle to ensure species continuity through seed dispersal.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Dicliptera verticillata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. It functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or an epiphyte, maintaining a primarily terrestrial existence across various habitats, including semiaquatic and aquatic environments. The plant is an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a relatively small species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of approximately 0.61 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.609607413 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dicliptera verticillata 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. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Dicliptera verticillata has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Abortifacient, Contraceptive.

Abortifacient

1. Zygote (Cambridge, England)

Contraceptive

1. Zygote (Cambridge, England)

Conditions

Dicliptera verticillata has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include dysmenorrhea, female infertility, fertility, infertility, menstrual cycle.

Dysmenorrhea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Female infertility

1. Zygote (Cambridge, England)

Fertility

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Infertility

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Menstrual cycle

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Dicliptera verticillata has 4 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, aqueous extract of the leaf mixture (ADHJ), aqueous extracts from the leaves, leaf mixture extract.

Aqueous extract

1. Zygote (Cambridge, England)

Aqueous extract of the leaf mixture (adhj)

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Aqueous extracts from the leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf mixture extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology