Kalanchoe laciniata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Kalanchoe gloveri
• Vereia laciniata
• Cotyledon laciniata
• Kalanchoe craibii
• Kalanchoe carnea
• Kalanchoe lentiginosa
• Kalanchoe rohlfsii
• Kalanchoe schweinfurthii
• Kalanchoe petitiaesii
• Kalanchoe angustifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Saxifragales, and the family Crassulaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Kalanchoe, specifically as the species Kalanchoe laciniata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, its presence has been documented in Rwanda. Moving toward the northeast, it can be found within the borders of Chad. The species also inhabits parts of Northeast Tropical Africa, specifically within Ethiopia and Eritrea. Finally, its range extends further into the horn of Africa to include Somalia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Kalanchoe laciniata is characterized by its presence in high-altitude environments, where it occupies a specific niche within mountainous landscapes. This species is found across a significant altitudinal gradient, with its distribution spanning from a minimum elevation of 1200 m AMSL to a maximum elevation of 1800 m AMSL. On average, the plant thrives at a mean elevation of 2120 m AMSL, indicating its adaptation to the unique climatic conditions, such as reduced oxygen levels, intense solar radiation, and varying temperature fluctuations, that are characteristic of these high-elevation ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2120 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Kalanchoe laciniaata is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and maintain a long-term presence in its habitat. Structurally, the plant functions as a geophyte, a life form that relies on underground storage organs to survive periods of environmental stress or unfavorable conditions. Furthermore, its biological classification within the cryptophyte group underscores its survival strategy, as its regenerative buds are protected below the soil surface or within specialized tissues, ensuring its continued development and resilience throughout its extended lifecycle.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Kalanchoe laciniaata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite. This plant is terrestrial in nature, avoiding aquatic or semiaquatic habitats, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, remaining firmly grounded in its substrate. In terms of its structural habit, it is a self-supporting plant that does not act as a climber, liana, or vine. The plant maintains a robust stature with a maximum height reaching approximately 1.828822238 meters, supported by its non-woody tissue.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.828822238 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Kalanchoe laciniata is primarily characterized by its highly specialized photosynthetic pathway, specifically utilizing Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). This metabolic adaptation allows the plant to thrive in arid or semi-arid environments by decoupling the processes of gas exchange and light-dependent reactions. During the nocturnal phase, the plant opens its stomata to minimize transpirational water loss, facilitating the uptake of carbon dioxide which is then chemically fixed and stored as malic acid within the vacuoles of its succulent cells. During the subsequent diurnal period, the stomata remain closed to conserve moisture, while the stored malic acid is decarboxylated to release carbon dioxide internally for fixation via the C3 cycle using sunlight. This temporal separation of CO2 uptake and fixation optimizes water-use efficiency and enables the plant to maintain metabolic activity under significant water stress.

Photosynthetic pathway :

CAM

Reproduction

Reproduction in Kalanchoe laciniaata involves complex biological processes that facilitate its propagation through both sexual and asexual means. When undergoing sexual reproduction via seed production, the plant produces extremely minute seeds characterized by a very low mass. The average seed mass for this species is approximately $1.63 \times 10^{-5}$ g, with individual seeds ranging from a minimum of $1 \times 10^{-5}$ g to a maximum of $2 \times 10^{-5}$ g. These tiny seeds are typically dispersed to colonize new environments, though the species is also well-known for its ability to reproduce vegetatively, often through leaf or stem fragmentation, which allows for rapid clonal expansion in its natural habitat.

Seed mass max:

2e-05 g

Seed mass mean:

1.63e-05 g

Seed mass min:

1e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Kalanchoe laciniata has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Chemicals

Kalanchoe laciniata has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Phytosterols, Sarmentosin, Tannin, Tannins.

Flavonoids

1. RSC advances
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Phytosterols

1. RSC advances

Sarmentosin

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Tannin

1. RSC advances

Tannins

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

quercetin

1. RSC advances

Activities

Kalanchoe laciniata has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Mutagenic.

Cytotoxic

1. EXCLI journal

Mutagenic

1. EXCLI journal

Medicinal Uses

Kalanchoe laciniata has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include breast cancer, multidrug resistance, urolithiasis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations