West Indian-elm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• West Indian-elm
• bastard-cedar

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Theobroma tomentosum
• Bubroma polybotryum
• Bubroma tomentosum
• Bubroma ulmifolia
• Guazuma guazuma var. ulmifolia
• Guazuma guazuma var. tomentosa
• Guazuma tomentosa var. cumanensis
• Guazuma blumei
• Guazuma bubroma
• Guazuma polybotrya
• Guazuma tomentosa
• Guazuma ulmifolia var. glabra
• Guazuma ulmifolia var. trianae
• Guazuma ulmifolia var. velutina
• Guazuma utilis
• Diuroglossum rufescens
• Bubroma guasuma
• Theobroma guazuma
• Theobroma celtifolium
• Guazuma coriacea
• Guazuma ulmifolia var. tomentosa
• Guazuma tomentosa var. monpoxensis
• Guazuma tomentosa var. parvifolia

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 within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales, it is positioned in the family Malvaceae. Specifically, it is categorized under the genus Guazuma.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse distribution across several key regions in the Indian Ocean and the Asian continent. Within the Western Indian Ocean, its presence is noted in both Mauritius and Réunion. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is widely established in India. It also maintains a significant presence across the landscape of Pakistan. Finally, the plant can be found growing within the borders of Sri Lanka.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Guaizuma ulmifolia is characterized by its remarkable adaptability across a diverse array of biomes and significant altitudinal gradients. This species thrives in various ecosystems, including Caatinga (strictu sensu), Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial), and Floresta Ombrófila Mista. Its distribution spans a broad elevational range, beginning at sea level (0 m AMSL) and reaching a maximum altitude of 1800 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 300 m AMSL. This wide environmental tolerance allows the plant to inhabit both seasonally dry and more humid forest environments.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Caatinga (stricto sensu), Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista

Life history

The life history of Guazumum ulmiifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural adaptation that defines its growth habit. This plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage periodically as part of its seasonal cycle. In terms of its ecological classification, its life form is consistently identified as a phanerophyte, ensuring its survival and structural dominance within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Guaizuma ulmifolia is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a self-supporting tree. It is a terrestrial species that functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. The plant exhibits significant vertical development, with a height that ranges from a minimum of 2 m to a maximum of 30 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 30 m. As a self-supporting tree, it does not possess the climbing habits of a liana or vine, instead relying on its sturdy, woody structure to maintain its stature within its terrestrial habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

30 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Guaizuma ulmifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating its reliance on the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation. Its leaf architecture and resource investment are defined by a mean leaf size of 20.247 cm² and a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 114.09 cm²/g, reflecting its strategy for light interception and gas exchange. The plant maintains a consistent leaf dry matter content (LDMC) with a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 342.4 mg/g, suggesting a highly stable investment in leaf tissue density. Structural support is provided by a stem with a mean specific density (SSD) of 595 mg/cm³. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrient availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen fixation to meet its metabolic requirements.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

342.4 mg/g

Leaf size mean:

20.247 cm²

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

114.09 cm²/g

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

595 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Guaizuma ulmifolia is characterized by the production of dry fruits that facilitate various dispersal strategies, primarily identified as zoochorous, though the species also exhibits anemochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, and unspecialized dispersal syndromes. The seeds are remarkably small and lightweight, with a mean mass of approximately 0.004639545 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00372 g to a maximum of 0.00599 g. In terms of dimensions, the seeds vary in length from a minimum of 1 mm to a maximum of 6 mm, resulting in a mean seed length of 0.57 mm. The seed volume is similarly minute, fluctuating between a minimum of 2 mm³ and a maximum of 4 mm³, with a calculated mean volume of 2.725 mm³.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

dry

Seed length max:

6 mm

Seed length mean:

0.57 mm

Seed length min:

1 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00599 g

Seed mass mean:

0.004639545 g

Seed mass min:

0.00372 g

Seed volume max:

4 mm³

Seed volume mean:

2.725 mm³

Seed volume min:

2 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Guazuma ulmifolia has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Chemicals

Guazuma ulmifolia has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3-O-Acetyloleanolic acid, BETA-SITOSTEROL, Betulin, Epigallocatechin, Epigallocatechin gallate.

3-O-Acetyloleanolic acid

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

Epigallocatechin

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Epigallocatechin gallate

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Friedelin

1. Dr. Duke

Friedelin-3beta-ol

1. Dr. Duke

Gallocatechin

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Kaempferitrin

1. Dr. Duke

Lignoceric acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Guazuma ulmifolia has 246 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antihypertensive, Cytotoxic, (+)-Inotropic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product communications

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Adenosine-Antagonist

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Guazuma ulmifolia has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida albicans, coughs, gastrointestinal disorders.

Candida albicans

1. Natural product communications

Coughs

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Gastrointestinal disorders

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Preparations

Guazuma ulmifolia has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stem bark, aqueous extract, ethanolic extract.

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stem bark

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Aqueous extract

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Ethanolic extract

1. International journal of molecular sciences