Erythroxylum vacciniifolium

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Erythroxylum vacciniifolium, exhibits a specific distribution pattern across the South American nation of Brazil. Its presence is documented within the diverse ecosystems of the Brazil West-Central region. Furthermore, the species can be found thriving in the landscapes of Brazil Northeast. It also maintains a presence within the Brazil Southeast territory. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's multi-regional occurrence throughout various parts of the country.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium is characterized by a broad distribution across diverse and varied Brazilian biomes, allowing it to thrive in a wide range of environmental conditions. It is found within several distinct ecosystems, including the Caatinga (strictu sensu), Campo Rupestre, Carrasco, and the Cerrado (lato sensu), as well as within seasonal forest types such as Floresta Estacional Decidual and Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual. Additionally, the species inhabits coastal and specialized environments, including Restinga and vegetation growing over rocky outcrops (Vegetação Sobre Afloramentos Rochosos). This adaptability is further reflected in its significant altitudinal tolerance, as it occupies an elevational range starting from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Caatinga (stricto sensu), Campo Rupestre, Carrasco, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Restinga, Vegetação Sobre Afloramentos Rochosos

Life history

The life history of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium is characterized by its nature as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its biological cycle within a single year. As a perennial species, it establishes a stable presence in its natural habitat, investing energy into long-term survival and structural development. This extended lifecycle facilitates continuous vegetative growth and the capacity for repeated reproductive efforts over several years, which is a common survival strategy for woody or shrub-like medicinal plants within their ecological niches.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium is characterized by its robust and woody structural composition, manifesting primarily as a self-supporting growth form that transitions between the forms of a shrub and a tree. Reaching a maximum plant height of approximately 10 meters, the species is classified as a terrestrial plant, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, and functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. Its growth habit is strictly self-supporting, meaning it does not function as an obligatory or facultative climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit epiphytic behavior such as holoepiphytic or hemiepiphytic lifestyles; instead, it maintains a stable terrestrial existence.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium is characterized by a metabolic framework governed by a C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, its carbon fixation process relies on the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) by the enzyme RuBisCO, which results in the immediate formation of a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate. This metabolic route dictates the plant's gas exchange patterns and water-use efficiency, as it lacks the specialized CO2-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. Consequently, its physiological performance and carbon assimilation rates are highly sensitive to environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature, and atmospheric CO2 concentrations, influencing its overall growth dynamics and resource allocation strategies.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Erythroxylum vacciniifolium has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CATUABINE A, CATUABINE B, CATUABINE C.

CATUABINE A

1. Dr. Duke

CATUABINE B

1. Dr. Duke

CATUABINE C

1. Dr. Duke