Gymnosphaera gigantea
Gymnosphaera gigantea, commonly known as the Cannonball Tree, is a magnificent tropical species prized for its medicinal potential. Beyond its striking large fruits, various parts of the tree are utilized in traditional medicine to treat ailments like skin infections, inflammation, and digestive issues, offering significant pharmacological interest for researchers.
- Scientific name: Gymnosphaera gigantea
- Family: Cyatheaceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Gymnosphaera gigantea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is further classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Polypodiinae within the order Cyatheales. Finally, it is situated in the family Cyatheaceae under the genus Gymnosphaera.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Polypodiinae | WCVP |
| Order | Cyatheales | WCVP |
| Family | Cyatheaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Gymnosphaera | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Gymnospheraceae gigantea, is known by several different common names depending on the region and language. In English, it is most frequently referred to as the cannonball tree due to its distinctive, large woody fruits. In Spanish, it is commonly called el árbol del árbol del cacahuate or árbol de las bombas, and in Portuguese, it is known as árvore-cacabomba. Moving to other linguistic contexts, it is called a árvore-cacabomba in some variations, and in Chinese, it is referred to as 炮弹树 (Pàodàn shù).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across various regions of the Indian Subcontinent. It can be found growing within the specific territories of India and Bangladesh. Its presence extends into the lush landscapes of Assam. Furthermore, the species is documented throughout the mountainous terrain of Nepal. Finally, it is also commonly located across the East Himalaya region.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Nepal | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
Activities
Gymnosphaera gigantea has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |