Diplolophium africanum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Diplolophium abyssinicum var. angustibracteatum

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Apiales, placing it in the family Apiaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Diplolophium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is notably recorded in Nigeria. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, the species can be found in Burundi. Its range further extends through the Central African Republic and Cameroon within this same central region. Finally, the distribution concludes with its documented occurrence in Gabon.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Diplolophium africanum is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. Structurally, it is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a growth form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, typically protected by leaf litter or organic debris. This life form, consistent across its morphological descriptions as a hemicryptophyte, enables the plant to withstand seasonal environmental fluctuations while maintaining its ability to regenerate and continue its developmental stages over an extended period.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Diplolophium africanum is characterized by a growth form primarily categorized as a herb or forb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its development. This plant reaches a maximum height of approximately 1.83 meters, establishing a significant presence within its ecological niche through its herbaceous stature.

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

1.828822238 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Diplolophium africanum is characterized by specific mechanisms of seed movement following pollination. The plant utilizes an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning that its seeds or reproductive structures are primarily distributed by the action of the wind. This anemochorous trait is the dominant method for spreading genetic material across its habitat, allowing the species to colonize new areas through wind-driven transport.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Diplolophium africanum has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Scoparone.

Scoparone

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology