Supplejack

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bush Cane
• False Rattan
• Hell Tail
• Indian Bushcane
• Supplejack
• whip vine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Flagellaria indica var. minor
• Flagellaria indica var. glauca
• Flagellaria indica var. gracilicaulis
• Flagellaria philippinensis
• Flagellaria indica var. bifurcata
• Flagellaria loureiroi
• Flagellaria indica var. borneensis
• Flagellaria indica var. gracilis
• Flagellaria minor
• Flagellaria indica var. australiensis
• Flagellaria catenata

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Flagellaria indica, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Poales. Finally, it is classified under the family Flagellariaceae and the genus Flagellaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations throughout the tropical regions of the African continent and surrounding waters. In East Tropical Africa, its presence is noted within the borders of Tanzania. Moving toward the south, the species can also be found in Mozambique, which is part of South Tropical Africa. Furthermore, the plant is widely distributed across the Western Indian Ocean. Specifically, its habitat includes the islands of Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Flagellaria indica is characterized by its adaptability to diverse forest environments, including rain forests, dry forests, and maquis (scrubland) habitats. It thrives across a specific altitudinal gradient, typically found at lower elevations ranging from a minimum of 40 m AMSL to a maximum of 450 m AMSL. Within this distribution, the species maintains a mean elevation of approximately 245 m AMSL, reflecting its preference for lowland to mid-elevation ecological niches.

Elevational range max:

450 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

245 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

40 m AMSL

Habitat :

rain forest, dry forest, maquis (scrubland)

Life history

The life history of Flagellaria indica is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment over many successive growing seasons. As a climbing or scrambling woody shrub, it establishes a long-term presence within its ecological niche, often spreading through its specialized, whip-like stems that can root at various nodes to facilitate vegetative expansion. This perennial lifecycle enables the plant to endure seasonal fluctuations, maintaining a stable structural foundation that supports its continuous growth and eventual reproductive phases. Through its sustained life history, the plant can effectively colonize forest edges and scrublands, utilizing its perennial habit to dominate space and ensure long-term survival within its habitat.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Flagellaria indica is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory liana. This plant exhibits a climbing habit, specifically categorized as a liana, and maintains an independent lifestyle as it is not a parasite. In terms of its ecological positioning, it is a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic or epiphytic one. The plant's physical dimensions vary significantly, with its height ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 20 meters, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 10 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Flagellaria indica is characterized by its specific photosynthetic and morphological adaptations. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation and energy production. Morphologically, its foliage exhibits significant variability in dimensions; the leaves typically maintain a mean length of 16 cm, ranging from a minimum of 7 cm to a maximum of 25 cm, while the width varies from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 2 cm, with an average width of 1.25 cm. Additionally, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its nitrogen requirements.

Leaf length max:

25 cm

Leaf length mean:

16 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf width max:

2 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.25 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Flagellaria indica is characterized by the development of inflorescences that typically range in length from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.25 m. The plant produces fruit classified as a drupe, which contains the seeds essential for its propagation. These seeds exhibit specific mass variations, with a minimum seed mass of 0.04043 g and a maximum seed mass of 0.04582 g, resulting in an average seed mass of approximately 0.042733333 g.

Fruit type :

drupe

Inflorescence length max:

0.25 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.1 m

Seed mass max:

0.04582 g

Seed mass mean:

0.042733333 g

Seed mass min:

0.04043 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Flagellaria indica has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hepatoprotective.

Hepatoprotective

1. Pharmaceutical biology