Madras Carpet

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Madras carpet

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Grangea hispida
• Artemisia maderaspatana
• Cotula maderaspatana
• Cotula sphaeranthus
• Ethulia nepalensis
• Grangea adansonii
• Grangea aegyptiaca
• Grangea glandulosa
• Grangea sphaeranthus
• Grangea strigosa
• Tanacetum aegyptiacum
• Tanacetum humile

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Grangea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Guarea madera-spatana, exhibits a wide distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent. In North Africa, its presence has been documented specifically within the country of Egypt. The species also spreads extensively throughout West Tropical Africa, occupying various ecological zones. Within this western belt, it can be found in Benin, Burkina, and Ghana. Furthermore, its geographical range extends to the coastal areas of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Graneia madera-spatana is defined by a broad altitudinal distribution that spans a wide variety of topographical gradients. This species is found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 11 m AMSL to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL, allowing it to inhabit diverse ecological niches from lowland environments to mid-elevation zones. The ecological preference of the plant centers around a mean elevation of approximately 510 m AMSL, suggesting that it thrives most optimally within these transitional subtropical or lowland tropical belts. This wide elevational breadth indicates a significant degree of environmental plasticity, enabling the species to adapt to the varying temperature, humidity, and soil profiles found across these distinct vertical strata.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

510 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

11 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Graneia maderapatana is characterized by an annual lifecycle, completing its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant functions as an ephemeral species that survives unfavorable environmental conditions by persisting in the form of resistant seeds rather than through vegetative structures. This life form dictates a rapid strategy of growth and reproduction, allowing it to exploit temporary resource availability before senescing at the end of its annual cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Gragea madera-spatanum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, appearing as a small, self-supporting plant. It maintains a low profile with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.3 m, resulting in a mean height of approximately 0.2 m. This species is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.2 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Graneia madera-spatana is characterized by specific morphological adaptations of its foliage and its metabolic approach to nutrient acquisition. The leaves exhibit a distinct dimensional range, with mean lengths measuring approximately 5.5 cm, though they can vary from a minimum of 3.5 cm to a maximum of 7.5 cm. In terms of transverse dimensions, the leaf width maintains a mean of 2 cm, fluctuating between a minimum of 1.5 cm and a maximum of 2.5 cm. Regarding its nitrogen metabolism, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing processes.

Leaf length max:

7.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3.5 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

2 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Grangea maderaspatana has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CALARENE, Frullanolide.

CALARENE

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Frullanolide

1. Oncology letters

Conditions

Grangea maderaspatana has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include breast cancer, Triple negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer

1. Oncology letters
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Triple negative breast cancer

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Grangea maderaspatana has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 7-α-hydroxyfrullanolide, frullanolide, methanol extract of the whole plant, methanol extracts.

7-α-hydroxyfrullanolide

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Frullanolide

1. Oncology letters

Methanol extract of the whole plant

1. Fitoterapia

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology