Holarrhena pubescens ex

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bitter Oleander
• Easter Tree
• Jasmine Tree
• Tellicherry-bark
• conessi
• holarrhena
• kurchibark
• Jasminebush
• indrajao

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chonemorpha antidysenterica
• Chonemorpha pubescens
• Elytropus pubescens
• Holarrhena antidysenterica
• Nerium sinense
• Holarrhena fischeri
• Holarrhena glaberrima
• Holarrhena glabra
• Holarrhena malaccensis
• Holarrhena perrotii
• Holarrhena tettensis
• Holarrhena villosa
• Holarrhena pierrei
• Echites adglutinatus
• Physetobasis macrocarpa
• Holarrhena febrifuga
• Holarrhena antidysenterica var. macrantha
• Holarrhena macrocarpa
• Holarrhena antidysenterica var. pubescens
• Holarrhena codaga

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 Gentianales, it is classified under the family Apocynaceae. It is further identified by the genus Holarrhena, specifically as the species Holarrhena pubescens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several key regions of the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it is specifically found within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its range extends into East Tropical Africa, where it inhabits both Kenya and Tanzania. Moving toward the southern reaches, the species is also present in South Tropical Africa. Specifically, its documented locations in this region include Malawi and Mozambique.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Holarrhena pubescens is characterized by its adaptability to diverse terrain, typically thriving within a specific altitudinal gradient. It is most commonly found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 100 m AMSL to a maximum of 900 m AMSL. Within this range, the species occupies distinct ecological niches, specifically colonizing rocky bushland or establishing itself along forest margins. These habitats provide the specific light and soil conditions necessary for its growth, allowing it to exist in the transitional zones between dense woodland and more open, rugged landscapes.

Elevational range max:

900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Habitat :

in (rocky) bushland or along forest margins

Life history

The life history of Holarrhena pubescens is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a dual life form classification depending on its developmental stage and environmental context, functioning both as a phanerophyte, where its stem is elevated above the ground, and as a nanophanerophyte. Additionally, the plant is deciduous, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal biological rhythm.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Holarrhena pubescens is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, exhibiting a robust and independent structure. As a terrestrial species, it does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite, maintaining an independent lifestyle within its habitat. The plant displays a significant range in stature, with a minimum height of 0.6 m and a maximum height reaching up to 10 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 10 m in optimal conditions. Unlike climbing species, this plant is self-supporting, utilizing its woody stem to maintain an upright, tree-like architecture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

0.6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Holarrhena pubescens is characterized by complex metabolic pathways geared toward survival in diverse tropical and subtropical environments. A primary physiological feature is its nutrient acquisition strategy; specifically, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with rhizobia required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms and must instead rely on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system. Its metabolic processes are heavily focused on the synthesis of secondary metabolites, particularly indole alkaloids such as conessine, which are produced through specialized biosynthetic pathways within its tissues. These compounds serve critical physiological functions, including defense mechanisms against herbivory and pathogens. Additionally, the plant exhibits efficient transpiration and water-regulation mechanisms to manage osmotic pressure, supported by a robust vascular system that facilitates the transport of these bioactive alkaloids from the roots and stems to the leaves and bark.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Holarrhena pubescens is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit significant variation in individual weight. The seed mass within a population follows a specific distribution, with a calculated mean seed mass of 0.00655 g. The variability of these reproductive units is notable, as the smallest recorded seeds have a mass of only 0.002 g, while the largest, most robust seeds reach a maximum mass of 0.0111 g. This range in seed size contributes to the plant's reproductive strategy and potential success in diverse environmental conditions.

Seed mass max:

0.0111 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00655 g

Seed mass min:

0.002 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Holarrhena pubescens has 3 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, stem.

Leaf

1. Environmental science and pollution research international
2. Journal of integrative medicine

Seed

1. Fitoterapia
2. Biomolecules

Stem

1. Functional & integrative genomics

Chemicals

Holarrhena pubescens has 74 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Antidysentericine, Conarrhimine, Conessidine, Conessimine, Conimine.

Antidysentericine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia
3. Biomolecules

Conarrhimine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

Conessidine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

Conessimine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

Conimine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

Holarrhimine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

conessine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomolecules

2,4-Methylene cholesterol

1. Dr. Duke

4-hydroxy benzoic acid

1. Dr. Duke

7alpha-Hydroxyconessine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Holarrhena pubescens has 293 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antihypertensive, Antioxidant, Antiplasmodial.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
3. Canadian journal of microbiology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy reviews
3. Biomolecules

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Canadian journal of microbiology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Canadian journal of microbiology

Antiplasmodial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Holarrhena pubescens has 9 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include malaria, Leishmania donovani, Leishmaniasis, antidiabetic, cancer.

Malaria

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

Leishmania donovani

1. ACS infectious diseases

Leishmaniasis

1. ACS infectious diseases

Antidiabetic

1. Biomolecules

Cancer

1. Functional & integrative genomics

Cystic fibrosis

1. Functional & integrative genomics

Fever

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Gastroduodenal ulcers

1. Indian journal of experimental biology

Nervous system disorders

1. Functional & integrative genomics

Preparations

Holarrhena pubescens has 16 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Alcoholic crude extracts, Hydro-alcoholic extracts, Hydro-ethanolic crude extract, Methanol (50%) extracts, Methanol extracts.

Alcoholic crude extracts

1. Microbiological research

Hydro-alcoholic extracts

1. Toxins

Hydro-ethanolic crude extract

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Methanol (50%) extracts

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of food protection

Alcoholic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous fraction

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Bark

1. Journal of basic microbiology

Barks

1. Mycotoxin research

Ethanol extracts

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine