Sticky Niger

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sticky Niger

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Coreopsis galericulata
• Guizotia collina
• Guizotia eylesii
• Guizotia kassneri
• Guizotia oblonga
• Guizotia nyikensis
• Guizotia ringoetii
• Guizotia schultzii
• Veslingia scabra
• Wedelia oblonga

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Guizotia scabra, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and the genus Guizotia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical presence across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its distribution includes the nations of Benin and Nigeria. Moving into the West-Central Tropical Africa region, the species can also be found in Burundi. Additionally, it is documented to grow within the Central African Republic. Finally, its range extends to include the country of Cameroon.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Guizotia scabra is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth strategy, the species is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by residual plant debris or the substrate itself. This hemicryptophytic nature enables the plant to endure seasonal changes by maintaining its regenerative capacity at the ground level, ensuring its continued survival and ability to re-emerge during favorable conditions.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Guizotia scabra is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, functioning as a self-supporting herb. As a terrestrial plant, it grows independently and does not exhibit parasitic behavior. In terms of stature, the plant varies in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of approximately 0.30 meters to a maximum of about 1.83 meters, maintaining an average plant height of 1.5 meters.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.828822238 m

Plant height mean:

1.5 m

Plant height min:

0.304803706 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Guizotia scabra is characterized by complex metabolic pathways that support its growth in various ecological niches, though it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships required for atmospheric nitrogen assimilation. Specifically, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess the biological machinery or specialized root nodules necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the surrounding soil substrate. Its metabolic processes are driven by efficient photosynthetic mechanisms that convert solar energy into chemical energy, facilitating the synthesis of essential secondary metabolites often utilized for medicinal purposes. These physiological processes, including respiration and nutrient transport, are finely tuned to its environmental conditions, ensuring the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and the continuous production of bioactive compounds through regulated enzymatic activities.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Guizotia scabra is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily mediated by insects, which facilitates the fertilization process. The plant produces relatively small seeds, with a recorded minimum mass of 0.00061 g, a maximum mass of 0.0007 g, and an average seed mass of approximately 0.00067 g. Following successful fertilization, the dispersal of the seeds follows an unspecialized syndrome, meaning the plant does not rely on a single highly specific mechanism for movement but rather employs generalist strategies for spreading its progeny within the environment.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

7e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00067 g

Seed mass min:

0.00061 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Guizotia scabra has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Food chemistry
2. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie

Chemicals

Guizotia scabra has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ash, FAT, FE, Germacrene D, LIMONENE.

Ash

1. BMC plant biology

FAT

1. BMC plant biology

FE

1. BMC plant biology

Germacrene D

1. Food chemistry

LIMONENE

1. Food chemistry

MN

1. BMC plant biology

na

1. BMC plant biology

p-

1. BMC plant biology

Activities

Guizotia scabra has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hepatoprotective, Hepatotoxic.

Hepatoprotective

1. Food chemistry

Hepatotoxic

1. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie

Preparations

Guizotia scabra has 3 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts, essential oils obtained from leaves, methanolic extracts.

Aqueous extracts

1. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie

Essential oils obtained from leaves

1. Food chemistry

Methanolic extracts

1. Food chemistry