crepe myrtle

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• crape-myrtle
• Indian crape-myrtle
• crepe-myrtle
• crepeflower
• Common Crape Myrtle
• Laggerstreamer
• Leggerstreamer
• Pride-Of-India
• crepe myrtle
• ladies' streamer
• lilac of the south

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Velaga globosa
• Lagerstroemia indica var. alba
• Murtughas indica
• Lagerstroemia indica f. alba
• Lagerstroemia elegans
• Lagerstroemia chinensis
• Lagerstroemia minor
• Lagerstroemia pulchra

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is further classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Myrtales. Finally, it is a member of the Lythraceae family, specifically placed in the genus Lagerstroemia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. In Central Asia, it can be found growing in the territories of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Its presence is also significant throughout various parts of China, particularly in the South-Central regions. Furthermore, the species is documented as growing on the island of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to inhabit multiple distinct environmental zones.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lagerstroemia indica is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, allowing it to inhabit diverse topographical landscapes. It is found across a significant elevational range, starting from sea level at a minimum of 0 m AMSL and ascending to a maximum altitude of 2800 m AMSL. The species demonstrates high ecological plasticity, though it typically thrives in environments around a mean elevation of 325 m AMSL. This wide vertical distribution suggests an ability to adapt to varying temperature gradients and atmospheric pressures, ranging from lowland tropical or subtropical zones to higher montane regions.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

325 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Lagerstroemia indica is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche through successive growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that supports its growth into a significant tree or large shrub. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage seasonally, which often serves as a physiological response to environmental changes or temperature fluctuations. Its developmental strategy relies on these perennial woody structures to maintain stability and resource storage, allowing it to emerge and thrive following periods of dormancy.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lagerstroemia indica is characterized by a woody growth form that typically manifests as either a tree or a shrub. It is a terrestrial, self-supporting plant that functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in height, generally ranging from a minimum of 4 m to a maximum of 8 m, with an average plant height of approximately 6.3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

8 m

Plant height mean:

6.3 m

Plant height min:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lagerstroemia indica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. This plant does not exhibit succulence, meaning it lacks specialized thickened tissues for water storage and relies on standard transpiration and absorption mechanisms to maintain cellular turgor. Furthermore, Lagerstroemia indica is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobium, necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and thus must rely on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium present in the soil substrate to satisfy its nitrogen requirements for protein and nucleic acid synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lagerstroemia indica is characterized by the production of small fruits and lightweight seeds designed for various modes of movement. The fruits typically measure a mean length of 1.15 cm, with individual lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1.3 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds are exceptionally light, possessing a mean mass of 0.002065 g, with values varying between a minimum of 0.00113 g and a maximum of 0.003 g. The plant exhibits an unspecialized dispersal syndrome, utilizing a diverse combination of methods including autochory, zoochory, hydrochory, and anemochory. Specifically, its dispersal strategy is heavily influenced by anemochory (wind dispersal), alongside other mechanisms such as anthropochory, endozoochory, epizoochory, myrmeccochory, and hydrochory, ensuring a wide potential range for offspring distribution.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Fruit length max:

1.3 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.15 cm

Fruit length min:

1 cm

Seed mass max:

0.003 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002065 g

Seed mass min:

0.00113 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lagerstroemia indica 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. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Chemicals

Lagerstroemia indica has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ANTHOCYANIN, Delphinidin-3-arabinoside, Dihydroverticillatine, FAT, Flavonoids.

ANTHOCYANIN

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. BMC plant biology

Delphinidin-3-arabinoside

1. Dr. Duke

Dihydroverticillatine

1. Dr. Duke

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in plant science

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Lagerine

1. Dr. Duke

MALVIDIN 3,5-DI-O-GLUCOSIDE

1. Frontiers in plant science

METHYL GALLATE

1. Dr. Duke

Malvidin-3-arabinoside

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Lagerstroemia indica has 91 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include ACE-Inhibitor, Abortifacient, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Analgesic, AntiGTF.

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiGTF

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

AntiMRSA

1. Dr. Duke

Antiadenovirus

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaflatoxin

1. Dr. Duke

Antiallergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Lagerstroemia indica has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, ZIKV.

Candida albicans

1. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Escherichia coli

1. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Drug discoveries & therapeutics

Zikv

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Preparations

Lagerstroemia indica has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methylene chloride and methanol extracts.

Methylene chloride and methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology