East Indian screwtree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• East Indian screwtree
• red isora
• spiralbush

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Helicteres roxburghii
• Ixora versicolor
• Helicteres ovata var. fructus-regis
• Helicteres grewiifolia
• Isora corylifolia
• Helicteres ovata var. isora-murri
• Helicteres baruensis var. ovata
• Helicteres macrophylla
• Helicteres isora var. glabrescens
• Helicteres isora var. microphylla
• Helicteres chrysocalyx
• Helicteres isora var. tomentosa

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Helicteres isora, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. It is further categorized into the genus Helicteres.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across parts of Asia. In China, it can be found specifically in the South-Central regions as well as on Hainan island. Its presence extends into the Indian Subcontinent, where it is native to Bangladesh. Additionally, the species is commonly documented throughout various parts of India. Finally, its natural habitat also includes the mountainous terrain of Nepal.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Helicteres isora is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing the plant to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a long-lived woody shrub or small tree, it follows a life cycle that extends beyond the single-year duration of annuals or the two-year span of biennials, establishing a robust perennial structure that can withstand seasonal variations. Its developmental stages involve a continuous cycle of vegetative growth and reproductive phases, where it invests energy into maintaining a permanent woody framework while periodically producing distinctive spirally coiled fruits. This perennial nature enables the plant to accumulate biomass over several years, contributing to its ability to thrive in various tropical and subtropical habitats where it can undergo repeated flowering and fruiting cycles throughout its lifespan.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Helicteres isora is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically classified as a shrub. This plant is a terrestrial species that functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. In terms of its structural stature, it is a self-supporting plant rather than a liana or vine, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 5 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 4 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

4 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Helicteres isora is characterized by a robust metabolic framework designed to support its growth in diverse tropical environments. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interaction, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with rhizobia typically found in leguminous species, meaning it relies on the uptake of available soil nitrates and ammonium through its root system rather than atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Its physiological processes include efficient photosynthetic pathways that drive the synthesis of secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids, which are critical for its chemical defense mechanisms. The plant also exhibits regulated transpiration and osmotic adjustments to maintain cellular turgor, facilitating nutrient transport through its vascular tissues.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Helicteres isora involves the production of small, specialized seeds that play a critical role in the species' dispersal and propagation strategies. The reproductive output is characterized by highly uniform seed dimensions, with quantitative analysis revealing a consistent seed mass across samples. Specifically, the seed mass maintains a constant value of 0.0014 g, as indicated by a mean, maximum, and minimum measurement of 0.0014 g. This lack of variance in seed mass suggests a highly standardized developmental process during seed maturation within the fruit, ensuring that each unit produced for potential germination holds a specific and predictable resource investment.

Seed mass mean:

0.0014 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Helicteres isora has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root.

Fruit

1. Bioinformation
2. International journal of diabetes in developing countries

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Helicteres isora has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, HS-1, HS-4.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

HS-1

1. Bioinformation

HS-4

1. Bioinformation

Activities

Helicteres isora has 5 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Hypolipidemic.

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. International journal of diabetes in developing countries

Antioxidant

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Antibacterial

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Anticancer

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Hypolipidemic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Helicteres isora has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antidiabetic, inflammation, snake bite, type-2 diabetes, type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations