Red Bells

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Red Bells

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Acnistus gesnerioides
• Chaenesthes gesnerioides
• Iochroma coccineum
• Iochroma gesnerioides var. flavum
• Iochroma umbrosum
• Chaenesthes umbrosa
• Diplukion umbrosum
• Dunalia umbrosa
• Iochroma flavum
• Valteta gesneroides
• Dunalia gesnerioides
• Lycium umbrosum
• Lycium gesnerioides

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known as Iochroma gesnerioides, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Iochroma.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a notable geographical distribution that spans across two distinct continents. Within the Indian Subcontinent, its presence is specifically documented in the East Himalaya region. Moving across the globe to Western South America, it can be found growing in Colombia. Its range further extends southward within Western South America to include Ecuador. Consequently, the distribution of Iochroma gesnerioides highlights a significant presence in both Asian and South American ecosystems.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Iochroma gesnerioides is characterized by its presence across a significant altitudinal gradient within montane ecosystems. This species thrives within a broad elevational range, spanning from a minimum of 1140 m AMSL to a maximum of 3400 m AMSL. This wide distribution allows the plant to inhabit diverse microclimates, ranging from lower montane forests to higher-altitude cloud forests or paramo margins, where it must adapt to varying levels of humidity, temperature fluctuations, and solar radiation associated with these different vertical strata.

Elevational range max:

3400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1140 m AMSL

Morphology

The morphology of Iochroma gesnerioides is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically developing into a tree that can reach a maximum height of 13 meters. As a terrestrial organism, it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, functioning instead as an independent plant without parasitic tendencies. Its structure is self-supporting, categorized as a self-supporting climber or liana-like form depending on environmental support, though it maintains its own upright stature. In terms of its ecological niche, the plant is strictly terrestrial, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic adaptations.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

13 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Iochroma gesnerioides is primarily characterized by its metabolic processes, specifically utilizing a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation. As a C3 plant, its physiological mechanism relies on the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) by the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle, occurring within the mesophyll cells. This pathway involves the initial formation of a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate, which serves as the foundational building block for glucose synthesis. Consequently, the plant's gas exchange and water-use efficiency are tightly regulated by stomatal conductance to balance the intake of atmospheric carbon dioxide with the prevention of excessive transpiration, a characteristic typical of species following the C3 metabolic model.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Iochroma gesnerioides has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Isoquercitrin, Kaempferol-3-sophoroside, Quercetin 3-sophoroside, kaempferol, quercetin.

Isoquercitrin

1. Pharmaceutica acta Helvetiae

Kaempferol-3-sophoroside

1. Pharmaceutica acta Helvetiae

Quercetin 3-sophoroside

1. Pharmaceutica acta Helvetiae

kaempferol

1. Pharmaceutica acta Helvetiae

quercetin

1. Pharmaceutica acta Helvetiae