Lasianthera africana

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Stemonurus africanus

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Aquifoliales. Finally, its taxonomic lineage places it in the family Stemonuraceae and the genus Lasiantera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern concentrated within the tropical regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence has been documented in Nigeria. The species also extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it can be found in Cameroon and the Congo. Furthermore, its range includes the territory of Equatorial Guinea within the same West-Central region. Finally, the plant is also recorded as growing in Cabinda.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lasianthera africana is characterized by its specialized preference for the sheltered microclimates found within dense old secondary forest environments. In these habitats, the plant thrives under a complex canopy structure that regulates light availability, moisture retention, and temperature stability. The presence of dense, established vegetation provides the necessary organic matter and nutrient-rich soil profiles essential for its development, while the structural complexity of an old secondary forest offers protection from extreme environmental fluctuations. This reliance on mature secondary growth suggests that the species plays a specific role in the successional dynamics of forest ecosystems, utilizing the stable, shaded niches created by previous stages of forest regeneration.

Habitat :

dense old secondary forest

Morphology

The morphology of Lasianthera africana is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily functioning as a shrub. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and maintains a terrestrial habit rather than an epiphytic one. The plant demonstrates significant variability in its physical stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of approximately 0.91 m to a maximum of about 3.66 m, resulting in a mean plant height of 4 m. In terms of its structural support and climbing habits, the species is classified as self-supporting, lacking the obligatory or facultative mechanisms associated with lianas or vines.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3.657644477 m

Plant height mean:

4 m

Plant height min:

0.914411119 m

Woodiness :

woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lasianthera africana has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Heliyon
2. Drug and chemical toxicology

Chemicals

Lasianthera africana has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Desulphosinigrin, Phenols, RUTIN, Terpenoids.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Heliyon

Desulphosinigrin

1. Food science & nutrition

Phenols

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

RUTIN

1. Heliyon

Terpenoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

luteolin

1. Heliyon

quercetin

1. Heliyon

Activities

Lasianthera africana has 3 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticholinesterase, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Drug and chemical toxicology

Anticholinesterase

1. Food science & nutrition

Hepatoprotective

1. Drug and chemical toxicology

Medicinal Uses

Lasianthera africana has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer's disease, diarrhea, parasitic infections, ulcers.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations