Cambodian Dragon Tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cambodian Dragon Tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pleomele cambodiana

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 Asparagales and the family Asparagaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Dracaena, specifically as the species Dracaena cambodiania.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across Asia. In China, its presence is specifically recorded within the tropical province of Hainan. Moving into the Indian Subcontinent, the species can be found inhabiting the area of Assam. The Indo-China region also serves as a significant habitat, with populations located in Cambodia and Laos. Furthermore, its distribution extends through the neighboring country of Thailand.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Dracaena cambodianas is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its habitat. In terms of its structural development and survival strategy, the species exhibits a dual classification of life forms; it functions as a phanerophyte, maintaining its reproductive buds on elevated branches above the ground, while also displaying characteristics of a nanophanerophyte, where the plant's stature remains relatively compact.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dracaena cambodiana is characterized by its stature as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting growth form. This plant typically reaches a mean height of 3.5 m, though its stature can vary between a minimum of 3 m and a maximum of 4 m. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and grows as a terrestrial species rather than an epiphyte.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

3.5 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Dracaena cambodiana is characterized by specialized foliar structures designed to optimize photosynthetic efficiency and water regulation. The plant exhibits a distinct leaf morphology, where the dimensions of the foliage play a critical role in its metabolic processes. The leaves typically maintain a mean length of 70 cm, providing a substantial surface area for light interception and gas exchange. The lateral expansion of these leaves is governed by a width that ranges from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 3 cm. This variation in leaf width, coupled with the elongated longitudinal axis, suggests a physiological adaptation to manage transpiration rates and light absorption within its specific ecological niche, ensuring efficient nutrient transport and structural integrity.

Leaf length mean:

70 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dracaena cambodiana is characterized by the development of inflorescences that exhibit a minimum length of 0.3 m. Following the flowering stage, the plant produces fruit that maintains a highly consistent morphology in terms of both dimensions. The fruit is characterized by a uniform size, where the length ranges from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1 cm, resulting in a mean fruit length of 1 cm. Similarly, the fruit width is remarkably stable, with a minimum value of 1 cm, a maximum value of 1 cm, and a mean width of 1 cm, indicating that the mature fruits are essentially spherical or consistent in their 1 cm by 1 cm proportions.

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Inflorescence length min:

0.3 m

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dracaena cambodiana 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 Asian natural products research

Chemicals

Dracaena cambodiana has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Loureirin B, Loureirin A, Loureirin D, resveratrol.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Natural product communications
3. BMC plant biology

Loureirin B

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Fitoterapia
3. Frontiers in plant science

Loureirin A

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Fitoterapia

Loureirin D

1. Fitoterapia
2. Frontiers in plant science

resveratrol

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Frontiers in plant science

7,4'-Dihydroxyflavone

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Icariside D1

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Pinostilbene

1. Frontiers in plant science

Pterostilbene

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Activities

Dracaena cambodiana has 3 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antitumor, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic.

Antitumor

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Natural product communications

Antimicrobial

1. Natural product communications

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of Asian natural products research

Conditions

Dracaena cambodiana has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation.

Inflammation

1. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B

Preparations

Dracaena cambodiana has 12 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 50% methanol/H2O elution, 95% ehanol extract, Chinese dragon's blood, Vietnamese medical plant extracts, chloroform extract.

50% methanol/h2o elution

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

95% ehanol extract

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

Chinese dragon's blood

1. Frontiers in plant science

Vietnamese medical plant extracts

1. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B

Chloroform extract

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

Dragon's blood

1. Journal of plant research

Ethyl acetate extract

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

Extract of methanol elute

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

Extracts of water

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

N-butanol extract

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