Nigerian satinwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Nigerian satinwood
• yellow satinwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Distemonanthus laxus

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Fabales, falling within the family Fabaceae. Its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Distemonanthus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the region of West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its natural occurrence can be found within the borders of Benin. It is also documented to grow throughout the country of Ghana. Furthermore, the species is present in the territories of Guinea and Ivory Coast. Finally, its geographical range extends into the nation of Liberia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Distemonanthus benthamianus is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its stem organs well above the ground, specifically categorized under the phanerophyte life form to describe its structural growth habit. The species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage periodically as part of its seasonal biological cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Distemonanthus benthamianus is characterized by a large, woody growth form, primarily functioning as a tree. This species exhibits a significant stature, with an average plant height of approximately 35 m and a maximum recorded height reaching up to 36.57644477 m. In terms of its structural habit, it is classified as a self-supporting plant, possessing both self-supporting climbing traits and a growth habit that does not require external support like a vine or liana. The plant is strictly terrestrial in its ecological niche, functioning as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

36.57644477 m

Plant height mean:

35 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Distemonanthus benthamianus is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional strategies. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized CO2-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. Furthermore, it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Distemonanthus benthamianus 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 stem.

Stem

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Chemicals

Distemonanthus benthamianus has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include genistein.

genistein

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis