Koompassia excelsa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Abauria excelsa
• Koompassia parvifolia

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 Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Koompassia, which contains the species Koompassia excelsa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. Within the Indo-China region, its presence is specifically noted in Thailand. It also has a significant range across the Malesia zone, including the islands of Borneo and Sumatera. Furthermore, the species can be found throughout the Malay Peninsula. Finally, its geographical reach extends to the Philippines within the Malesian archipelago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Koompassia excelsa is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to establish a long-term presence within its forest ecosystem. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage in response to seasonal environmental shifts or dry periods.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Koumpassia excelsa is characterized by a robust growth form, primarily manifesting as a tree. It possesses a woody structure and exhibits a significant plant height, with a mean height reaching approximately 70 m. Although it can be categorized under various climbing types such as liana or vine, it is specifically identified as a self-supporting climber. In terms of its ecological positioning, the plant is strictly terrestrial rather than epiphytic.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Plant height mean:

70 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Koompassia excelsa is characterized by a metabolic framework utilizing the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common mechanism in many large canopy trees where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle. This metabolic strategy dictates its gas exchange processes and water-use efficiency within its forest habitat. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrogen from the soil through its extensive root systems.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Koompassia excelsa is characterized by a complex interplay of biological agents and environmental factors. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, relying on living organisms to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Specifically, its pollination strategy involves a diverse range of insect vectors, with a specialized emphasis on bees as primary pollinators. Following successful fertilization, the dispersal of its seeds is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, where wind serves as the principal mechanism for transporting seeds to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Koompassia excelsa has 5 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antinociceptive, Antioxidant, Neuroprotective.

Anticancer

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antimicrobial

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antinociceptive

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antioxidant

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Neuroprotective

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Medicinal Uses

Koompassia excelsa has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant.

Most Reported Uses