vidanga

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• vidanga
• false black pepper
• white-flowered embelia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ribesiodes ribes
• Samara ribes
• Antidesma ribes

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Embelia ribes, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Ericales and the family Primulaceae. Ultimately, it is categorized under the genus Embelia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is distributed across several distinct regions within the vast landscape of China. Specifically, it can be found growing in the South-Central areas as well as the Southeast provinces of the country. Its presence extends to the tropical island of Hainan and the high-altitude terrains of Tibet. Beyond the borders of China, the species is also located within the Indian Subcontinent. More precisely, its range includes the specific region of Assam.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Embelia ribes is defined by its adaptability to a broad altitudinal gradient, allowing it to thrive across diverse mountainous and sub-montane landscapes. The species occupies a significant vertical range, beginning at low-lying elevations as low as 50 m AMSL and extending up to a maximum of 2000 m AMSL. Throughout its natural distribution, the plant maintains a mean elevational preference of approximately 1025 m AMSL, a positioning that typically suggests an ecological niche within mid-altitude tropical or subtropical forest ecosystems. This wide elevational spread enables the species to encounter varying microclimates, varying levels of moisture, and diverse soil compositions across its habitat.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1025 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Embelia ribes is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its ecological classification and growth habit, the species is categorized as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting the traits of a phanerophyte and a nanophanerophyte, which indicates that its perennating buds are elevated above the ground level on woody structures.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Embelia ribes is characterized by its growth as a woody liana, functioning as an obligatory climber. It exhibits a shrub-like growth form and is strictly terrestrial in its habit rather than epiphytic. The plant's stature varies significantly, with a minimum height of 3 m, a maximum height reaching up to 9 m, and a mean plant height of approximately 10.5 m.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Plant height max:

9 m

Plant height mean:

10.5 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological characteristics of Embelia ribes are notably reflected in its vegetative development and nutritional processes. The foliage exhibits significant morphological variation in size, with leaf lengths typically ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a mean of 6.5 cm, reaching a maximum extent of 8 cm. Regarding its metabolic interaction with soil nutrients, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for its growth.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Embelia ribes is characterized by specific morphological and dispersal traits that facilitate its life cycle. The plant produces inflorescences that vary in length, ranging from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.15 m. The resulting fruits are classified as fleshy in nature. Regarding seed characteristics, the species produces seeds with a consistent volume of 6.4 mm³, representing both the minimum and maximum measured values as well as the mean volume. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, although the plant exhibits a complex dispersal strategy that can be described as unspecialized, encompassing anemochorous, autochorous, and hydrochorous mechanisms.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Inflorescence length max:

0.15 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.05 m

Seed volume max:

6.4 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Embelia ribes has 2 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root.

Fruit

1. Journal of Asian natural products research
2. Indian journal of experimental biology
3. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets
4. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Embelia ribes has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include EMBELIN, 2,5-Dihydroxy-3-undecyl-1,4-benzoquinone, Daucosterol, Flavonoids, N-(3-carboxylpropyl)-5-amino-2-hydroxy-3-tridecyl-1,4-benzoquinone.

EMBELIN

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology
3. Molecular biology reports
4. Toxicology and applied pharmacology
5. Pharmacognosy magazine

2,5-Dihydroxy-3-undecyl-1,4-benzoquinone

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets
2. Molecular cancer research : MCR

Daucosterol

1. Journal of natural products

Flavonoids

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

N-(3-carboxylpropyl)-5-amino-2-hydroxy-3-tridecyl-1,4-benzoquinone

1. Journal of natural products

Potassium embelate

1. Indian journal of experimental biology

Sitosterol

1. Journal of natural products

Steroids

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

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

alpha-Amylase

1. Fitoterapia

Activities

Embelia ribes has 17 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Neuroprotective.

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

Anticancer

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology
2. EXCLI journal

Antidiabetic

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Antioxidant

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Neuroprotective

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology
2. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Anthelmintic

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Antibacterial

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifertility

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiobesity

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Embelia ribes has 35 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antidiabetic, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Antidiabetic

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Cancer

1. EXCLI journal
2. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Alzheimer's disease

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Huntington's disease

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Neurodegenerative disorders

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Sars-cov-2 infection

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Acne

1. International journal of cosmetic science

Analgesia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anthelmintic

1. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Antioxidant activity

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Embelia ribes has 14 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Embelin, Enkoko, Ethanolic extracts, Extracts, Fractions.

Embelin

1. Molecular cancer research : MCR

Enkoko

1. Toxicology and applied pharmacology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Fitoterapia

Extracts

1. International journal of cosmetic science

Fractions

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Combination of some plant products

1. Journal of biosciences

Ethanolic extract of the roots

1. Journal of natural products

Fractions

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Fruit powder

1. Indian journal of experimental biology

Fruits

1. Journal of Asian natural products research