Blunt-lobe spicebush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Blunt-lobe spicebush

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Benzoin obtusilobum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Laurales and the family Lauraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Lindra and the specific species Lindra obtusiloba.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across several distinct regions of China. It can be found growing in the landscapes of China South-Central and throughout the northern reaches of Manchuria. Additionally, its presence extends into the areas categorized as China North-Central. The species also populates the lush environments of China Southeast. Finally, its geographical footprint reaches the high-altitude terrain of Tibet.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lindera obtusiloba is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution that allows it to occupy a diverse range of montane and sub-montane environments. This species exhibits remarkable adaptability to varying topographical gradients, with its presence recorded from low-lying areas at a minimum elevation of 20 m AMSL up to high-altitude zones reaching a maximum of 3300 m AMSL. Throughout its natural habitat, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 1510 m AMSL, suggesting that while it can survive across extreme vertical shifts, it finds its optimal ecological niche within mid-elevation mountain ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

3300 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1510 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

20 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Lindeira obtusiloba is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its persistence across multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a complex morphological strategy, classified both as a phanerophyte and a nanophanerophyte, which indicates its ability to maintain its stem or bud structures above the ground level to survive varying environmental conditions. Furthermore, the plant follows a deciduous growth pattern, shedding its leaves periodically as part of its seasonal lifecycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lindera obtusiloba is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as either a tree or a shrub. As a terrestrial plant, it grows independently and does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. The species exhibits significant variation in stature, with plant heights typically ranging from a minimum of 3 meters to a maximum of 10 meters, maintaining an average height of approximately 6.5 meters. Furthermore, the plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a liana or a climbing vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

6.5 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lindera obtusiloba is characterized by its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its specific ecological niche. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by its foliar dimensions, where the leaves exhibit significant morphological variation. Specifically, the leaf length ranges from a minimum of 5.5 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, with a calculated mean leaf length of 7.75 cm. Complementing these longitudinal measurements, the leaf width shows a distribution between a minimum of 4.8 cm and a maximum of 10.8 cm, reflecting a robust leaf surface area optimized for light interception and gas exchange under the C3 metabolic framework.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

7.75 cm

Leaf length min:

5.5 cm

Leaf width max:

10.8 cm

Leaf width min:

4.8 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lindra obtusiloba is characterized by the development of specific fruit structures that exhibit consistent morphological dimensions. The resulting fruits maintain a highly uniform length, with both the minimum and maximum measurements, as well as the mean length, recorded at 0.8 cm. In terms of width, the fruits show slightly more variability, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 0.6 cm, with an average width of 0.55 cm. These precise measurements define the physical parameters of the reproductive output of the species.

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit width max:

0.6 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit width min:

0.5 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lindera obtusiloba has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (+)-Syringaresinol, 2-(1-methoxy-11-dodecenyl)-penta-2,4-dien-4-olide, (+)-Episesamin, (2e,3r,4r)-2-(11-dodecenylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-4-methylbutanolide, (2z,3s,4s)-2-(11-dodecenylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methylbutanolide.

(+)-Syringaresinol

1. Archives of pharmacal research
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

2-(1-methoxy-11-dodecenyl)-penta-2,4-dien-4-olide

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

(+)-Episesamin

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

(2e,3r,4r)-2-(11-dodecenylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-4-methylbutanolide

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

(2z,3s,4s)-2-(11-dodecenylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methylbutanolide

1. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Afzelin

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Butenolides

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Isoobtusilactone

1. Journal of natural products

Isoobtusilactone A

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Lindera obtusiloba has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihypertensive, Cytotoxic, Vasoprotective.

Antihypertensive

1. PloS one

Cytotoxic

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Vasoprotective

1. PloS one

Conditions

Lindera obtusiloba has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, blood circulation, albuminuria, allergies, allergy.

Inflammation

1. PloS one
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Blood circulation

1. PloS one
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Albuminuria

1. PloS one

Allergies

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Allergy

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Atopic dermatitis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Body weight

1. PloS one

Cancer

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Dermatitis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hyperglycemia

1. PloS one