Gold Dwarf Morning Glory

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Gold Dwarf Morning Glory
• Hewitts Dwarf Morning Glory

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hewittia scandens
• Hewittia sublobata
• Palmia bicolor
• Shutereia bicolor
• Shutereia sublobata
• Hewittia puccioniana
• Kethosia involucrata
• Convolvulus scandens
• Aniseia afzelii
• Argyreia malabarica
• Bonamia volkensii
• Calystegia keriana
• Convolvulus bracteatus
• Eremosperma puccionianum
• Convolvulus sublobatus
• Convolvulus rottleri
• Convolvulus involucratus
• Convolvulus timorensis
• Convolvulus malabaricus
• Hewittia asarifolia
• Hewittia barbeyana
• Hewittia bicolor
• Hewittia hirta
• Hewittia bicolor f. minor
• Ipomoea teretistigma
• Ipomoea schultesii
• Aniseia bracteata
• Ipomoea phyllosepala
• Ipomoea weinmannii
• Ipomoea benguelensis
• Ipomoea malabarica

Regional and Traditional Names

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 Solanales, it is classified under the family Convolvulaceae. Its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Hewittia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution centered within the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing in the diverse landscapes of Benin. Additionally, its presence extends to the coastal and inland areas of Gambia. The species is also documented within the territories of Ghana and Guinea. Finally, its range includes the tropical environments of the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hewittia malabarica is defined by a broad vertical distribution within its native habitats, allowing it to occupy diverse topographical niches. This species thrives across a significant altitudinal gradient, ranging from lowland coastal or riverine environments at an elevation of 5 m AMSL to more montane or hilly terrains reaching up to a maximum of 945 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, enabling the plant to adapt to varying temperature regimes, humidity levels, and soil compositions found between sea level and sub-montane zones. Such a distribution indicates that the plant can persist in both humid tropical lowlands and the slightly cooler, well-drained slopes of mid-elevation regions.

Elevational range max:

945 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

5 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Hewittia malabarica is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and ecological positioning, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the permanent buds are located close to the soil surface, often just above it. This specific life form, consistent across both its morphological and functional classifications as a chamaephyte, enables the species to withstand varying environmental pressures by maintaining its regenerative structures near the ground level.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hewittia malabarica is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory climbing vine. This plant reaches a significant height, with a mean stature of approximately 3 m, and exhibits a terrestrial lifestyle rather than being aquatic or epiphytic. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite, instead utilizing its climbing habit to navigate its environment.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hewittia malabarica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its natural habitat. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme Rubisco to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into three-carbon compounds during the Calvin cycle, a mechanism typical of most tropical woody species. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient cycling capabilities, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into biologically available forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrogen from the surrounding soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hewittia malabarica is characterized by complex dispersal syndromes that facilitate its propagation across various environments. The plant exhibits an autochorous dispersal mechanism, indicating that seed dispersal occurs primarily through its own internal processes. Within this framework, the dispersal strategy is notably multifaceted and unspecialized, encompassing a wide range of methods including anemochory (wind dispersal), zoochory (animal dispersal), and hydrochory (water dispersal). Furthermore, the reproductive cycle involves highly diverse modes of movement such as anthropochory, endozoochory, epizoochory, and myrmecochory, allowing the species to utilize wind, water, human activity, various animal vectors (both internal and external), and even ants to ensure the distribution of its offspring.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Hewittia malabarica has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 2,4-ditert-butylphenol, CYCLODODECANOL.

1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid

1. Scientific reports

2,4-ditert-butylphenol

1. Scientific reports

CYCLODODECANOL

1. Scientific reports

Activities

Hewittia malabarica has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer.

Anticancer

1. Scientific reports

Conditions

Hewittia malabarica has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, colorectal carcinoma.

Cancer

1. Scientific reports

Colorectal carcinoma

1. Scientific reports

Preparations

Hewittia malabarica has 6 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone, chloroform extract, ethyl acetate, methanol, petroleum ether extract.

Acetone

1. Scientific reports

Chloroform extract

1. Scientific reports

Ethyl acetate

1. Scientific reports

Methanol

1. Scientific reports

Petroleum ether extract

1. Scientific reports

Water

1. Scientific reports