sandbox tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Dynamite Tree
• monkey-no-climb

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hura crepitans var. membranacea
• Hura crepitans var. oblongifolia
• Hura brasiliensis
• Hura crepitans var. orbicularis
• Hura crepitans var. ovata
• Hura crepitans f. oblongifolia
• Hura crepitans f. orbicularis
• Hura crepitans f. ovata
• Hura crepitans var. senegalensis
• Hura crepitans var. strepens
• Hura senegalensis
• Hura strepens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further organized into the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malpighiales, falling under the family Euphorbiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Hura, specifically as the species Hura crepitans.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution that spans across several continents. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found within the borders of Benin, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. Its presence also extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically within the Central African Republic. Interestingly, the species is not limited to Africa, as it also inhabits the Southeastern United States. Within that American region, the plant is specifically documented in the state of Florida.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hura crepitans is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1550 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant ecological plasticity by inhabiting diverse forest types, including Floresta Ciliar or Galeria, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, and Floresta de Várzea. This ability to thrive in both seasonally flooded environments and stable upland forests allows it to occupy a wide variety of niches within tropical ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1550 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea

Life history

The life history of Hura crepitans is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to maintain its presence within its ecosystem over many successive years. Functioning as a phanerophyte, the plant directs its vital organs and growth away from the ground, typically manifesting as a large tree with elevated buds. Specifically, it is classified under the phanerophyte life form categories, which dictates its structural development and its ability to persist through varying environmental conditions by maintaining its photosynthetic apparatus at a significant height above the soil surface.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hura crepitans is characterized by its substantial growth form as a woody tree. This species exhibits significant vertical development, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 10 m to a maximum of 40 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 15.75 m. As a terrestrial organism, it does not exhibit aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, nor does it function as an epiphyte, remaining firmly grounded in its environment. The plant is an independent species, lacking any parasitic relationship with other organisms. Structurally, while it possesses a self-supporting habit, it does not function as a vine, liana, or obligatory climber, instead relying on its robust, woody architecture to maintain its massive stature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

40 m

Plant height mean:

15.75 m

Plant height min:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hura crepitans is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The leaf morphology exhibits significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 6 cm to a mean of 17.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 29 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width varies from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 17 cm. In terms of biomass composition, the plant maintains a consistent Leaf Dry Matter Content (LDMC) with a mean, minimum, and maximum value all recorded at 325.5 mg/g, indicating a stabilized ratio of structural tissue to water content within the foliage. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability to support its physiological requirements.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

325.5 mg/g

Leaf length max:

29 cm

Leaf length mean:

17.5 cm

Leaf length min:

6 cm

Leaf width max:

17 cm

Leaf width min:

5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hura crepitans is characterized by the development of distinct fruits and seeds with specific morphological dimensions. The fruits produced by the plant typically exhibit a length ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 5 cm, with an average fruit length of approximately 4.5 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds display significant biological consistency, particularly regarding their volume, which remains constant at a mean, minimum, and maximum of 920 mm³. Furthermore, the seeds vary in mass, with recorded values spanning from a minimum of 0.746 g to a maximum of 0.845 g, resulting in a calculated mean seed mass of 0.7955 g.

Fruit length max:

5 cm

Fruit length mean:

4.5 cm

Fruit length min:

4 cm

Seed mass max:

0.845 g

Seed mass mean:

0.7955 g

Seed mass min:

0.746 g

Seed volume max:

920 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Hura crepitans has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Anthocyanidins, Butyrospermol, Cycloartenol, Flavonoids, Huratoxin.

Anthocyanidins

1. Revista cubana de medicina tropical

Butyrospermol

1. Dr. Duke

Cycloartenol

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoids

1. Revista cubana de medicina tropical

Huratoxin

1. Dr. Duke

ferulic acid

1. Dr. Duke

inositol

1. Dr. Duke

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke

p-coumaric acid

1. Dr. Duke

triterpenoids

1. Revista cubana de medicina tropical

Activities

Hura crepitans has 120 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Allelopathic, Analgesic.

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaflatoxin

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiallergic

1. Dr. Duke

Antialopecic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiarrhythmic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Hura crepitans has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, alcohol consumption, bacterial infections.

Malaria

1. Revista cubana de medicina tropical

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Revista cubana de medicina tropical

Alcohol consumption

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Bacterial infections

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology