Chinese honey-locust

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese honey-locust
• Chinese honey locust
• Large Spined Honeylocust
• Soap bean
• Soap pod
• big-spine honey locust

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Caesalpiniodes macracanthum
• Caesalpiniodes sinense
• Gymnocladus williamsii
• Gleditsia xylocarpa
• Gleditsia macracantha
• Gleditsia sinensis var. inermis
• Gleditsia sinensis var. major
• Gleditsia fontanesii
• Gleditsia sinensis var. purpurea
• Gleditsia indica
• Gleditsia nana
• Gleditsia officinalis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Gleditsia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across various regions of China. It can be found growing within the areas of China South-Central and China Southeast. Additionally, its presence is noted in the northern territory of Manchuria. The species also inhabits the regions of China North-Central. Finally, its range extends into the province of China Qinghai.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Gleditsia sinensis is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, allowing the plant to establish long-term structural presence within its ecosystem. As a perennial, it does not complete its life cycle within a single growing season but instead undergoes successive stages of growth, maturation, and seasonal dormancy over many years. This extended lifecycle enables the plant to develop a robust woody architecture and a deep root system, which facilitates survival through varying environmental conditions and provides the energy reserves necessary for repeated reproductive cycles. Throughout its lifespan, the plant progresses from seedling establishment through various juvenile stages until it reaches reproductive maturity, after which it contributes to the population through the production of seeds, ensuring the continuity of the species across successive generations.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gleditsia sinensis is characterized by a robust and woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a tree. While it possesses the structural capacity to function as a climber, its developmental habit is categorized as self-supporting, whether acting as a liana or a vine, rather than being an obligatory or facultative climber that relies on external structures for verticality. The plant exhibits a perennial, woody architecture, forming a substantial woody framework that distinguishes it from non-woody or herbaceous species.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

tree

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Gleditsia sinensis is characterized by a specific metabolic and structural framework adapted to its environmental niche. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a process where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle, relying on the enzyme RuBisCO to incorporate atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic molecules. In terms of its structural development and biomass allocation, the species exhibits a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 736 mg/cm³. This density parameter reflects the plant's internal wood anatomy and its ability to balance mechanical support with hydraulic efficiency, playing a critical role in its overall physiological resilience and growth patterns.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

736 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gleditsia sinensis is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit highly uniform physical properties. Based on botanical data, the seed mass is exceptionally consistent, with a recorded mean value of 0.15873 g. This uniformity is reflected in the maximum and minimum recorded measurements, which both align precisely at 0.15873 g, indicating a lack of significant variance in the mass of the individual seeds produced. This standardized seed size is a critical component of its reproductive biology and dispersal strategy.

Seed mass mean:

0.15873 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gleditsia sinensis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed.

Fruit

1. Journal of natural products
2. PeerJ
3. Phytochemistry

Seed

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Gleditsia sinensis has 26 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gleditsioside I, Cyclic AMP, Cytokinin, Flavonoid, Flavonoids.

Gleditsioside I

1. Journal of natural medicines
2. Phytochemistry

Cyclic AMP

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Cytokinin

1. BMC plant biology

Flavonoid

1. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

Flavonoids

1. PeerJ

GIBBERELLIC ACID

1. International journal of biological macromolecules

Gibberellin

1. BMC plant biology

Gleditsia saponin C'

1. Phytochemistry

Gleditsia saponin E'

1. Phytochemistry

Gleditsioside F

1. Journal of biotechnology

Conditions

Gleditsia sinensis has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include atherosclerosis, cancer, colon cancer, hyperlipidemia, inflammation.

Atherosclerosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Colon cancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Hyperlipidemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Malignancies

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Obesity

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Thrombosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Gleditsia sinensis has 2 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts, SLS.

Aqueous extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Sls

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)