Diospyros gabunensis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. Specifically, its presence can be identified within the borders of Ghana. It is also found growing throughout the coastal and inland areas of Ivory Coast. Furthermore, the species inhabits various landscapes across Liberia and Sierra Leone. Finally, its geographical range extends into the diverse ecosystems of Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Diospyros gabunensis is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the individual to persist in its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures, specifically through a woody growth habit where the buds are borne on branches well above the ground level. This phanerophyte life form enables it to occupy stable niches within its habitat, utilizing its long-lived structure to dominate the canopy or sub-canopy layers over many years.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Diospyros gabunensis is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting structure. It is a terrestrial species that lives independently, rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant exhibits significant variation in stature, with a recorded minimum height of approximately 6.10 meters, a mean height of 15 meters, and a maximum height reaching up to 19.81 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

19.81224092 m

Plant height mean:

15 m

Plant height min:

6.096074128 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Diospyros gabunenis is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in its natural habitat. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme Rubisco to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly within the mesophyll cells during the Calvin cycle, a mechanism typical of most woody tropical species. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria, such as rhizobia, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate to meet its nutritional requirements for growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Diospyros gabunensis has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Betulin, betulinic acid.

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Diospyros gabunensis has 23 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticarcinomic.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antifeedant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiflu

1. Dr. Duke

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke