Curly knob-bush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Curly knob-bush

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Serratula polygyna
• Blumea purpurascens
• Blumea tetraptera
• Blumea vernonioides
• Conyza ctenoptera
• Laggera intermedia
• Conyza odontoptera
• Blumea crispata
• Laggera alata var. montana
• Blumea crispata var. montana
• Laggera pterodonta
• Conyza crispata
• Blumea pterodonta

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. It is further classified within the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Within this taxonomic hierarchy, it is identified under the genus Laggera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing naturally in the country of Benin. Its presence extends further into the territory of Burkina Faso. Additionally, the species is documented to inhabit parts of Ghana. Finally, the distribution includes the nations of Guinea-Bissau and Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Laggera crispata is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, reflecting a versatile adaptation to varying environmental conditions. This species is distributed across a wide vertical range, occupying habitats starting from lowlands at an elevation of 230 m AMSL and extending up to montane regions reaching 1675 m AMSL. This substantial elevational range suggests that the plant can tolerate diverse temperature regimes, varying levels of atmospheric pressure, and fluctuating moisture availability typical of different mountain zones. Such ecological plasticity allows it to colonize various microclimates within its geographic distribution, from warmer, humid lower elevations to cooler, more temperate high-altitude environments.

Elevational range max:

1675 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

230 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Laggera crispata is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its biological structure and growth habit, the species functions as a therophyte, completing its primary life cycle through an annual growth pattern that often relies on seed production to ensure continuity. As a therophyte, its vegetative parts typically die down at the end of the growing season, leaving only the seeds to endure unfavorable environmental conditions before germinating to start the cycle anew.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Laggera crispata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, exhibiting a habit that can range from aquatic to semiaquatic or even terrestrial environments. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as an obligatory or facultative climber, nor does it act as a liana or vine; instead, it maintains a self-supporting structure. The plant grows as an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies, and is strictly terrestrial in its epiphytic potential rather than being an obligate or facultative epiphyte. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 2 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiological characteristics of Laggera crispata are significantly defined by its foliar morphology and the dimensions of its photosynthetic surfaces. The leaves exhibit a notable range of development, with length measurements typically fluctuating between a minimum of 5.5 cm and a maximum of 10 cm, maintaining an average leaf length of approximately 8.125 cm. Complementing this longitudinal growth, the leaf width shows a corresponding variation, spanning from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm, which results in a mean width of 2.375 cm. These specific morphological parameters suggest a specialized surface-area-to-volume ratio that supports the plant's metabolic processes and environmental adaptations.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.125 cm

Leaf length min:

5.5 cm

Leaf width max:

3.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.375 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Laggera crispata is characterized by the development of small fruits and minute seeds that follow specific morphological parameters. The fruits produced by the plant exhibit significant variability in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.1 cm to a maximum of 1 cm, resulting in an average fruit length of 0.55 cm. Following the maturation of these fruits, the seeds are released, displaying extremely low mass values indicative of their microscopic nature. The seed mass varies from a minimum of 5e-05 g to a maximum of 1e-04 g, with a calculated mean seed mass of 7.67e-05 g. These reproductive traits highlight a strategy of producing numerous, lightweight seeds contained within relatively small fruit structures.

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit length min:

0.1 cm

Seed mass max:

1e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

7.67e-05 g

Seed mass min:

5e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Laggera crispata has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Chrysosplenetin B, Artemitin, quercetin, (E)-nerolidol, 1beta-hydroxy pterondontic acid.

Chrysosplenetin B

1. BioImpacts : BI
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Artemitin

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

quercetin

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

(E)-nerolidol

1. Journal of oleo science

1beta-hydroxy pterondontic acid

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

3,4',5-Trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-carvotanacetone

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Flavonoids

1. Annales pharmaceutiques francaises

Lignans

1. Annales pharmaceutiques francaises

Activities

Laggera crispata has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.

Anticancer

1. BioImpacts : BI

Antimicrobial

1. Annales pharmaceutiques francaises

Antioxidant

1. BioImpacts : BI

Preparations