Longevity spinach

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Longevity spinach
• Okinawa spinach

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Senecio sarmentosus
• Senecio mindoroensis
• Cacalia cylindriflora
• Gynura emeiensis
• Cacalia finlaysoniana
• Gynura pubigera
• Cacalia procumbens
• Gynura lobbiana
• Cacalia reclinata
• Cacalia sarmentosa
• Cacalia sarracenia
• Crassocephalum latifolium
• Crassocephalum pubigerum
• Gynura affinis
• Gynura agusanensis
• Gynura buntingii
• Gynura cavaleriei
• Gynura clementis
• Gynura finlaysoniana
• Gynura latifolia
• Gynura piperi
• Gynura sarmentosa
• Gynura scabra
• Senecio finlaysonianus

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. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Gynura and the specific species name procumbens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Gynura procumbens, exhibits a specific distribution pattern across the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented in several key countries, including Benin and Guinea. Furthermore, the species can be found growing within the borders of Ivory Coast. It is also established in the tropical landscapes of Liberia. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends into Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Gynura procumbens is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and structural classification, it exhibits characteristics of a phanerophyte, as its stems and reproductive structures are elevated above the ground level. Furthermore, its specific architectural strategy aligns with the nanophanerophyte life form, indicating that its woody or permanent shoots remain relatively low to the substrate, typically not exceeding a few decimeters in height.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gynura procumbens is characterized by its growth as a non-woody herb that exhibits a climbing habit. It functions as an obligatory liana, utilizing a vine-like structure to ascend, though it is primarily categorized by its herbaceous nature. The plant reaches a mean height of approximately 3 m and maintains a terrestrial existence rather than an epiphytic one.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiological characteristics of Gynura procumbens are closely reflected in its vegetative morphology and nutritional processes. The foliage exhibits significant variation in dimensions, with leaf lengths typically averaging 5.5 cm, though they can range from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 8 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a mean of 2.5 cm, fluctuating between a minimum of 1.5 cm and a maximum of 3.5 cm. In terms of nutrient acquisition and metabolic processes, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil through its root system rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

3.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gynura procumbens involves the production of small fruits that serve as the primary vehicle for seed dispersal. These fruits exhibit specific morphological dimensions, with a mean fruit length of 0.5 cm. The variation in size among the produced fruits is relatively narrow, ranging from a minimum length of 0.4 cm to a maximum length of 0.6 cm. This standardized fruit size plays a crucial role in the plant's reproductive cycle and subsequent propagation within its natural habitat.

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.5 cm

Fruit length min:

0.4 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gynura procumbens has 3 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Heliyon
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences
4. PloS one
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Root

1. Heliyon
2. Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia

Stem

1. Heliyon

Chemicals

Gynura procumbens has 25 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Flavonoid, RUTIN, Steroids, kaempferol.

Flavonoids

1. PloS one
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Flavonoid

1. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

RUTIN

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Steroids

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

kaempferol

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

quercetin

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antioxidant Activity

1. BioMed research international

Astragalin

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

BA

1. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Activities

Gynura procumbens has 15 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antihypertensive, Antiinflammatory.

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences
4. PloS one
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Anticancer

1. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antihypertensive

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antiinflammatory

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antiproliferative

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hepatoprotective

1. Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
2. PloS one

Antidiabetic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihyperglycemic

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antiulcerogenic

1. BioMed research international

Medicinal Uses

Gynura procumbens has 24 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hypertension, constipation, rheumatism, cancer, diabetes mellitus.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations