Guiera senegalensis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Guiera glandulosa

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 situated in the order Myrtales and the family Combretaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Guiera, specifically as the species Guiera senegalensis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across several regions within West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing in the country of Benin. Additionally, its presence extends to the nation of Burkina. The species is also documented in Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant includes Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Guiera senegalensis is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures, specifically classified within the phanerophyte life forms to indicate its woody growth habit. Furthermore, it exhibits an evergreen deciduousness pattern, maintaining its foliage throughout much of its life cycle to optimize resource acquisition in its native habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Guiera senegalensis is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily functioning as a shrub or small shrubby plant. It is a self-supporting, terrestrial species that does not exhibit climbing, epiphytic, or parasitic behaviors, growing instead as an independent organism. The plant typically reaches an average height of approximately 2.5 m, maintaining a robust, woody structure suitable for its terrestrial habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

2.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Guiera senegalensis is characterized by a metabolic framework consistent with the C3 photosynthetic pathway, where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. Unlike specialized desert plants that utilize C4 or CAM pathways to minimize photorespiration, this species relies on the standard C3 mechanism, which influences its water-use efficiency and growth patterns in its native Sahelian habitats. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition capabilities, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, thus relying instead on the available nitrogenous compounds present within the soil substrate for its physiological development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Guiera senegalensis is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit specific quantitative morphological variations. The seed mass within the species shows a relatively narrow distribution, with a recorded mean seed mass of 0.02841 g. Individual seed measurements fluctuate within a defined range, reaching a maximum seed mass of 0.0317 g and a minimum seed mass of 0.02443 g. These metrics indicate a consistent investment in seed size, which plays a critical role in the establishment and dispersal success of the plant within its natural habitat.

Seed mass max:

0.0317 g

Seed mass mean:

0.02841 g

Seed mass min:

0.02443 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Guiera senegalensis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Journal of natural products
5. Microscopy and microanalysis : the official journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada

Root

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Stem

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Chemicals

Guiera senegalensis has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5-methylflavasperone, Gallic acid, Guieranone A, Harman, RUTIN.

5-methylflavasperone

1. Journal of natural products
2. Die Pharmazie

Gallic acid

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Guieranone A

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Journal of natural products

Harman

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Parasitology research

RUTIN

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

Tetrahydroharman

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Parasitology research

quercetin

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

5-methyldihydroflavasperone

1. Journal of natural products

Alpinumisoflavone

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

CATECHIN

1. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico

Activities

Guiera senegalensis has 4 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antiprotozoal, Tonic.

Antibacterial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiprotozoal

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tonic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Guiera senegalensis has 16 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include fowlpox, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, bronchiolitis, bronchitis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations