Lingnan garcinia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Lingnan Garcinia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Garcinia oblongifolia, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Clusiaceae and falls under the genus Garcinia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. In China, it can be found growing in the tropical environment of Hainan. It is also documented throughout the Southeast region of China. Furthermore, the species extends its range into the Indo-China peninsula. Specifically, it is known to inhabit the country of Vietnam.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Garcinia oblongifolia is characterized by its specific altitudinal preferences within its native habitat. This species is primarily distributed across low-to-mid elevation zones, maintaining a specialized ecological niche that is closely tied to its vertical positioning in the landscape. Its elevational range typically spans from a minimum of 200 m AMSL to a maximum of 400 m AMSL, with the species most frequently occurring at a mean elevation of 300 m AMSL. This narrow altitudinal band suggests that the plant is adapted to the specific climatic conditions, such as temperature ranges, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, found within these particular lowland elevations.

Elevational range max:

400 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Garcinia oblongifolia is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over many successive years. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are borne on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural adaptation that defines its growth habit. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout the year to facilitate continuous photosynthetic activity. Its biological classification as a phanerophyte is consistent across different ecological assessments, marking it as a robust woody plant that thrives through long-term developmental cycles.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Garcinia oblongifolia is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a tree. This species is a terrestrial plant that grows independently, rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its physical stature, it is a substantial plant with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 5 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 10 meters. Although it possesses a self-supporting structure, it is categorized under the self-supporting climber classification within its growth habit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Garcinia oblongifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. Its vegetative structure features elliptic leaves with entire margins, lacking any defensive leaf thorns or spines. The leaf dimensions exhibit specific morphological variation, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a mean of 7.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 10 cm, while leaf widths vary between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 3.5 cm. Anatomically, the plant possesses a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 710 mg/cm³, reflecting its structural composition and wood density. Additionally, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its nitrogen requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

7.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

3.5 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

710 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Garcinia oblongifolia is characterized by specific morphological traits of its fruit and seeds, which facilitate its propagation within its ecosystem. The plant produces fruits that vary in size, with an average length of 3 cm, though they can range from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. The seeds within these fruits exhibit high uniformity in mass, maintaining a consistent value of 0.454 g, which serves as both the mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass recorded. In terms of propagation strategy, the species employs a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals to aid in the movement and distribution of its seeds, ensuring the continuation of the species across its natural habitat.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit length max:

4 cm

Fruit length mean:

3 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Seed mass mean:

0.454 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Garcinia oblongifolia has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit.

Leaf

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Journal of natural products

Fruit

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Chemicals

Garcinia oblongifolia has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzophenone, Benzoyl-coa, Cirsimarin, Daidzin, Flavonoids.

2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzophenone

1. BMC genomics

Benzoyl-coa

1. BMC genomics

Cirsimarin

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Daidzin

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Flavonoids

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Garcinol

1. Journal of natural products

Isovitexin

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Oblongifolin C

1. Journal of natural products

kaempferol

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Activities

Garcinia oblongifolia has 6 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Analgesic, Antimicrobial.

Antibacterial

1. BMC genomics
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Antioxidant

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Antitumor

1. BMC genomics
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Analgesic

1. BMC genomics

Antimicrobial

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Conditions

Garcinia oblongifolia has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include analgesic, wound-healing.

Analgesic

1. BMC genomics

Wound-healing

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Preparations

Garcinia oblongifolia has 2 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone extract of the bark of Garcinia oblongifolia, bark.

Acetone extract of the bark of garcinia oblongifolia

1. Journal of natural products

Bark

1. BMC genomics