African mango

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African mango

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Irvingia laeta
• Irvingia barteri
• Mangifera gabonensis
• Irvingia fusca
• Irvingia caerulea
• Irvingia duparquetii
• Irvingia erecta
• Irvingia griffonii
• Irvingia hookeriana
• Irvingia tenuifolia
• Irvingia pauciflora
• Irvingia platycarpa
• Irvingia barteri var. tenuifolia
• Irvingia velutina

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 and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Malpighiales and the family Irvingiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Irvingia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Irvingia gabonenis, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in countries such as Benin and Nigeria. Moving into the West-Central Tropical Africa region, the species can be found in the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Furthermore, its range extends to the coastal area of Cabinda within the same West-Central zone. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's importance within the tropical forest ecosystems of Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Irvingia gabonenis is characterized by its preference for stable, climax ecosystems, as it is commonly found in dense primary well-drained forest environments. Within these complex forest structures, the species thrives in habitats where the soil provides adequate drainage to prevent waterlogging of its root systems while maintaining sufficient moisture levels through the forest canopy's microclimate. Its presence is typically indicative of undisturbed tropical forest dynamics, where it occupies specific niches within the stratified layers of the vegetation. The reliance on well-drained soils suggests a specialized adaptation to specific edaphic conditions that favor its growth and reproductive success amidst the competitive environment of a primary forest.

Habitat :

common in dense primary well-drained forest

Life history

The life history of Irvingia gabonenis is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, ensuring its long-term persistence within its ecological niche. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated well above the ground, typically supported by a robust woody structure that allows it to dominate the forest canopy or sub-canopy layers. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness pattern, retaining its foliage throughout the year to facilitate continuous photosynthetic activity, which supports its enduring life cycle. Through these physiological traits, the plant establishes a stable and permanent presence in its habitat, functioning as a long-lived structural component of the ecosystem.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Irvingia gabonensis is characterized by a robust, woody growth form, specifically classified as a tree. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, maintaining an independent biological existence. As a strictly terrestrial species, it does not possess aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, nor does it act as an epiphyte. The plant reaches significant dimensions in the forest canopy, with a mean plant height of approximately 30 m and a maximum recorded height of up to 36.57644477 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

36.57644477 m

Plant height mean:

30 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Irvingia gabonenis is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy is typical for many tropical forest species, allowing the plant to optimize carbon assimilation under the shaded or partially sunlit conditions of its natural habitat. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition processes, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable biological form; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Irvingia gabonenis is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects, which ensures the genetic exchange necessary for the species' survival. The resulting fruit is classified as a fleshy drupe, which remains indehiscent upon maturity. This fruit type serves as an effective mechanism for zoochorous dispersal, relying on animals to distribute the seeds throughout its habitat. The seeds produced are relatively substantial, maintaining a consistent mean, minimum, and maximum volume of approximately 11,000 mm³.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit type :

drupe

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed volume max:

11000 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Irvingia gabonensis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed.

Leaf

1. Heliyon
2. Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria

Seed

1. Acta scientiarum polonorum. Technologia alimentaria
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Chemicals

Irvingia gabonensis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CAMPESTEROL, Fatty acids, Glycosides, Phytosterols, STIMASTEROL.

CAMPESTEROL

1. Heliyon

Fatty acids

1. Heliyon

Glycosides

1. Heliyon

Phytosterols

1. Heliyon

STIMASTEROL

1. Heliyon

Vitamin

1. Heliyon

Activities

Irvingia gabonensis has 5 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, Antioxidant, Antithrombotic, Free-Radical Scavenging.

Antidiabetic

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Antioxidant

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Antithrombotic

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Free-Radical Scavenging

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Conditions

Irvingia gabonensis has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include apoptosis, body weight, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, metabolic syndrome.

Apoptosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Body weight

1. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders

Endoplasmic reticulum stress

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Metabolic syndrome

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Obesity

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Weight loss

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Irvingia gabonensis has 8 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous and ethanol extracts, aqueous extract, chloroform and n-hexane extracts, chloroform extract, ethanol extract.

Aqueous and ethanol extracts

1. Heliyon

Aqueous extract

1. Heliyon

Chloroform and n-hexane extracts

1. Heliyon

Chloroform extract

1. Heliyon

Ethanol extract

1. Heliyon

Ethanol seed extract

1. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Methanol extracts

1. Acta scientiarum polonorum. Technologia alimentaria

N-hexane extract

1. Heliyon