Laportea ovalifolia

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Fleurya podocarpa var. mannii
• Pilea procumbens
• Haynea ovalifolia
• Fleurya ovalifolia
• Fleurya podocarpa
• Fleurya podocarpa var. amphicarpa
• Fleurya podocarpa var. fulminans
• Fleurya podocarpa var. repens

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosales, eventually reaching the family Urticaceae. Within this family, it is specifically categorized under the genus Laportea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the diverse ecosystems of West Tropical Africa. Its geographical range specifically includes the nation of Benin, where it grows in local habitats. It is also documented to inhabit parts of Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. Furthermore, the species can be located throughout the territory of Ghana. Finally, its distribution extends into the forested regions of the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Laportea ovalifolia is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and structural organization, the plant is categorized as a therophyte, a life form typically defined by completing its life cycle through specialized structures that survive unfavorable conditions. This developmental strategy ensures its continuity within its specific ecological niche across successive years.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Laportea ovalifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as a self-supporting species rather than a climber, liana, or vine, and it grows independently without parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant typically maintains a modest height, with a minimum height of 0.2 m and an average height of approximately 0.55 m. As a terrestrial organism, it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, such as being a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte, but instead establishes itself directly in the ground.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.55 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Laportea ovalifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism common to most tropical understory species where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle. This pathway involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO, which is typical for plants inhabiting environments where moisture and light availability favor steady metabolic processes. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to meet its nutritional requirements for protein and nucleic acid synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Laportea ovalifolia is characterized by a highly flexible flowering phenology that lacks a strictly fixed seasonal window. The flowering time is notably variable, with the onset of flowering (flowering start) occurring at inconsistent intervals that can span across any month of the year, including January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December. Similarly, the conclusion of the flowering period (flowering end) is also variable, meaning the plant may cease its reproductive phase at any point throughout the annual cycle depending on environmental conditions. This variability in both the commencement and cessation of flowering suggests a reproductive strategy that is responsive to fluctuating local climatic factors rather than a rigid calendar-based cycle.

Flowering time :

variable

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Laportea ovalifolia has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Triterpenes, polyphenols.

Triterpenes

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

polyphenols

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Medicinal Uses

Laportea ovalifolia has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hypoglycemic.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations