Sea-buckthorn

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• sea buckthorn
• seaberry
• willow-leaved sea buckthorn
• Sea-Buckthorn
• sallowthorn
• Himalayan berry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Osyris rhamnoides
• Argussiera rhamnoides
• Elaeagnus rhamnoides
• Rhamnoides hippophae

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Rosales and the family Elaeagnaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Hippophae, which includes the species Hippophae rhamnoides.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Hippophae rhamnoides, is widely distributed across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Its presence is also well-documented throughout the landscapes of Finland. Furthermore, the species is commonly distributed across Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, it maintains a notable geographical footprint within Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hippophae rhamnoides is characterized by its ability to thrive in specific montane environments and disturbed landscapes. This species typically occupies an elevational range situated between 1800 m and 3800 m AMSL, demonstrating a high degree of adaptability to varying altitudes within mountainous regions. Its preferred habitat often includes open, managed roadsides, where it can establish itself in disturbed or transitional ground. These environmental conditions suggest the plant is well-suited to pioneer roles in open areas where sunlight is abundant and soil may be subject to periodic management or anthropogenic influence.

Elevational range max:

3800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1800 m AMSL

Habitat :

open roadsides managed

Life history

The life history of Hippophae rhamnoides is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons and establish long-term presence in its habitat. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural adaptation that defines its growth habit. This plant functions as a phanerophyte through both its nanophanerophyte and larger phanerophyte growth forms, enabling it to form dense, woody thickets. Despite its robust perennial nature, its foliage exhibits evergreen characteristics, maintaining its leaves to facilitate continuous biological processes.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hippophae rhamnoides is characterized by a woody growth form that primarily manifests as either a shrub or a tree. As a terrestrial and independent species, it does not function as a parasite and is categorized as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or liana. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 5 meters, with an average plant height of approximately 4.0835 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

4.0835 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hippophae rhamnoides is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which facilitates carbon fixation through the standard Calvin cycle common to many woody perennials. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on autotrophic processes and soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Morphologically, its foliage is defined by a mean leaf size of 2.381 cm², a dimension that contributes to its overall leaf architecture. Furthermore, the plant possesses a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 125 cm²/g, reflecting a specific balance between leaf biomass and surface area that influences its efficiency in light interception and gas exchange within its ecological niche.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

2.381 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

125 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hippophae rhamnoides is characterized by a dioecious sexual system, meaning that individual plants are either male or female, and asexual reproduction is notably absent. The flowering period typically commences in April and extends through May. The pollination process is categorized as abiotic, specifically utilizing wind as the primary pollination syndrome. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces indehiscent fruit classified as a drupe, with an average fruit length of 0.58 cm and an average width of 0.5 cm. Seed dispersal follows a zoochorous pattern, specifically via endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed through the digestive tracts of animals. The seeds themselves exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.0257436 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.00517 g to a maximum of 0.3 g. Furthermore, self-fertilization is absent in this species, ensuring genetic diversity through its specialized reproductive mechanisms.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

May

Fruit length mean:

0.58 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

0.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Seed mass max:

0.3 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0257436 g

Seed mass min:

0.00517 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hippophae rhamnoides has 5 reported plant parts identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf, root, rhizome.

Fruit

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. AoB PLANTS
3. Journal of medicinal food
4. European journal of mass spectrometry (Chichester, England)
5. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Seed

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Leaf

1. Functional plant biology : FPB
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Root

1. Natural products and bioprospecting
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Rhizome

1. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Chemicals

Hippophae rhamnoides has 121 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, kaempferol, Isorhamnetin, quercetin, Carotenoids.

Flavonoids

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Heliyon
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
5. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
3. Journal of medicinal food
4. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
5. Pharmacognosy magazine

Isorhamnetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Pharmacognosy magazine
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
3. Journal of medicinal food
4. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
5. Pharmacognosy magazine

Carotenoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
5. Genes

polyphenols

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Genes

Fatty acids

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Gallic acid

1. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
2. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

RUTIN

1. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
2. Pharmacognosy magazine
3. Journal of food science

Tannins

1. Heliyon
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Hippophae rhamnoides has 429 reported activities identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, Hepatoprotective, Antibacterial, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Natural products and bioprospecting
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Food & function
4. International journal of biological macromolecules

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural products and bioprospecting
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food & function

Conditions

Hippophae rhamnoides has 60 reported investigations on conditions identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative stress, inflammation, liver cancer, cancer, fatigue.

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of dietary supplements
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Inflammation

1. Pharmaceutics
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Food & function
4. Nutrients
5. Natural product research

Liver cancer

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
3. Drug development and industrial pharmacy

Cancer

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Nutrients

Fatigue

1. Food & function
2. Journal of food science

Hypertension

1. Nutrients
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Obesity

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Nutrients

Alzheimer's disease

1. Scientific reports

Copd

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diabetic cardiomyopathy

1. Biology

Preparations

Hippophae rhamnoides has 26 reported preparations identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include RH-3, seed oil, FH, HRWP, Hippophae rhamnoides oil.

Rh-3

1. Indian journal of experimental biology
2. The Indian journal of medical research

Seed oil

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Fh

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Hrwp

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hippophae rhamnoides oil

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hr.cr

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Rec-1001 (flavonoid-rich fraction)

1. Journal of medicinal food

Rec-1002 (flavonoid-poor fraction)

1. Journal of medicinal food

Seed oil

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Aqueous extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology