Live-long

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• False Marula
• Live Long
• Live-Long Lannea
• Live-Long Tree
• Tree Grape
• Tree-Grape

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Calesiam discolor
• Tapirira discolor
• Odina discolor

Regional and Traditional Names

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 classified within the order Sapindales and the family Anacardiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus name, Lannea, and its specific species designation, Lannea discolor.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily located within the West-Central Tropical Africa region, specifically found in the DR Congo. Its distribution extends significantly into South Tropical Africa across several different nations. In this southern zone, it can be identified within the borders of Angola. Furthermore, the species is widely present in Malawi and Mozambique. Finally, its geographical reach is completed by its occurrence in Zambia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lannea discolor is characterized by its ability to inhabit diverse topographical gradients, spanning a significant altitudinal breadth. This species is typically found within an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 305 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 1480 m AMSL. Such a wide vertical distribution suggests an adaptability to varying climatic conditions, including fluctuations in temperature, moisture availability, and atmospheric pressure associated with increasing altitude. This range allows the plant to occupy various ecological niches within its habitat, ranging from lowland environments to more temperate mid-elevation zones.

Elevational range max:

1480 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

305 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Lannea discolor is characterized by its existence as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a deciduous plant, it undergoes a seasonal cycle where it sheds its foliage, typically in response to environmental cues such as changes in temperature or moisture availability, before regrowing its leaves during more favorable periods.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lannea discolor is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a tree. This species exhibits significant variation in its stature, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 0.75 m to a maximum of 12 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 10 m. Although it possesses a self-supporting structure rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative climber, its habit is defined by its independent, non-parasitic nature. As a terrestrial organism, it does not function as an epiphyte or an aquatic/semiaquatic plant, maintaining a robust, woody constitution throughout its development.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

0.75 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lannea discolor is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation through the enzyme Rubisco. As a plant that does not engage in symbiotic nitrogen fixation, it lacks the specialized root nodules required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lannea discolor is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The plant exhibits a reproductive strategy where self-fertilization is absent, suggesting a reliance on cross-pollination to maintain genetic diversity. The seeds produced by this species are highly uniform in their physical dimensions, possessing a consistent seed volume of 97 mm³ (with both minimum and maximum values reaching this same measurement) and a stable seed mass of 0.09106 g.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.09106 g

Seed volume max:

97 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Lannea discolor has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.

Cytotoxic

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Conditions

Lannea discolor has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, epilepsy.

Cancer

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Epilepsy

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Lannea discolor has 3 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include decoctions, extracts, plant extracts.

Decoctions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Plant extracts

1. Environmental and molecular mutagenesis