Japonicalia delphiniifolia

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Parasenecio delphiniifolius
• Cacalia delphiniifolia
• Cacalia delphiniphylla
• Cacalia pilgeriana subsp. delphiniphylla
• Cacalia zuccarinii
• Koyamacalia delphiniifolia
• Koyamacalia zuccarinii
• Parasenecio delphiniphyllus
• Parasenecio tongchuanensis
• Senecio delphiniphyllus
• Senecio zuccarinii
• Parasenecio delphiniifolius var. brevilobus
• Cacalia delphiniifolia var. breviloba

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 Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Japonicalia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range across East Asia. Its primary distribution is concentrated within the South-Central regions of China. Additionally, the species can be found naturally occurring in Japan. These areas represent the core habitats where the plant thrives. Consequently, its presence is limited to these particular parts of Eastern Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Japonicalia delphiniifolia is characterized by its specialized distribution within high-altitude montane environments, where it thrives across a specific vertical gradient. The species is primarily found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 1650 m AMSL to a maximum of 3200 m AMSL, indicating a strong preference for subalpine or montane zones. Its ecological niche is centered around a mean elevation of 2425 m AMSL, a position that suggests the plant is adapted to the unique climatic conditions, such as lower temperatures and specific moisture regimes, typical of these mid-to-high altitude belts. This elevational profile dictates its interaction with local soil types, sunlight availability, and the surrounding vegetation communities found within these mountainous habitats.

Elevational range max:

3200 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2425 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1650 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Japonicalia delphiniifolia is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a perennial species, it does not complete its biological cycle within a single year like annuals or two years like biennials; instead, it establishes a stable presence in its habitat, often developing robust root systems or perennial structures that support continuous regrowth. This life strategy enables the plant to withstand seasonal fluctuations and invest energy into long-term survival and repeated reproductive efforts over several years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Japonicalia delphiniifolia is characterized by its growth form as a herb, displaying a non-woody structure throughout its vegetative body. This herbaceous plant functions as a self-supporting climber, meaning it possesses the structural integrity to ascend or extend without requiring external support structures, distinguishing it from obligatory or facultative climbers.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Japonicalia delphiniifolia is characterized by distinct morphological variations in its foliar structures, which play a critical role in its metabolic processes and photosynthetic capacity. The leaf dimensions exhibit a specific range of variability, with leaf lengths typically measuring a mean of 12 cm, though they can fluctuate from a minimum of 9 cm to a maximum of 15 cm. This longitudinal variation is complemented by significant differences in leaf width, which shows a mean value of 14.5 cm. The lateral expansion of the leaves is notably dynamic, ranging from a minimum width of 11 cm to a maximum width of 18 cm. These specific dimensions suggest a high degree of plasticity in leaf surface area, which likely influences the plant's gas exchange efficiency and transpiration rates across different environmental conditions.

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

12 cm

Leaf length min:

9 cm

Leaf width max:

18 cm

Leaf width mean:

14.5 cm

Leaf width min:

11 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Japonicalia delphiniifolia culminates in the development of specialized fruit structures that exhibit specific morphological dimensions. The fruit produced by this species is characterized by relatively small dimensions, with a recorded mean length of 0.45 cm. Throughout the developmental stages and across different specimens, the fruit length displays a narrow range of variability, spanning from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 0.5 cm. These precise measurements in fruit length are critical indicators of the plant's reproductive success and the physical characteristics of its dispersal units.

Fruit length max:

0.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.45 cm

Fruit length min:

0.4 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Japonicalia delphiniifolia has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cacalol.

Cacalol

1. Breast cancer research and treatment