Liquidambar styraciflua

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-ranging geographical distribution across multiple continents. In Europe, its presence spans from Belgium in Middle Europe to Spain in the Southwestern region. The species is also found within Southeastern Europe, specifically in Italy. Moving to North America, the plant inhabits the North-Central United States. Within this American region, it can be located in both Illinois and Missouri.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Liquidambar styraciflua is characterized by its preference for forest environments, where it integrates into complex woodland ecosystems. It typically thrives within these forested habitats, playing a role in the structural and biological composition of the landscape. Regarding its altitudinal distribution, the species is found at a significant elevational range, with a mean elevation of approximately 2600 m AMSL.

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Liquidambar styraciflua is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over many years. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground, allowing it to grow into a substantial woody structure. The plant follows a deciduous growth pattern, meaning it sheds its foliage annually in response to seasonal changes, typically entering a period of dormancy during the colder months before regenerating new leaves in the spring.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Liquidambar styraciflua is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that is strictly self-supporting rather than being a climber, liana, or vine. It is a terrestrial species that grows independently, functioning neither as an epiphyte nor as a parasite. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in height, with recorded minimum heights of approximately 10.06 m and maximum heights reaching 15.24 m, though its mean plant height is documented at approximately 31.74 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15.24 m

Plant height mean:

31.7433333333333 m

Plant height min:

10.0584 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Liquidambar styraciflua is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic strategy dictates its reliance on specific environmental conditions, particularly moisture availability and temperature, to optimize gas exchange and carbon assimilation. Additionally, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and thus depends entirely on the uptake of nitrogenous compounds from the soil to support its growth and metabolic processes.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Liquidambar styraciflua is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects, with bees playing a specific role in the process. The plant produces seeds with a highly specialized mass profile, featuring a mean seed mass of approximately 0.00524 g, while individual seed weights range from a minimum of 0.004 g to a maximum of 0.0065 g. Following successful fertilization, the dispersal of the seeds is governed by an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are primarily dispersed by the wind to facilitate colonization in new environments.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.0065 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00524233333333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.004 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

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

Leaf

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Chemicals

Liquidambar styraciflua has 61 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3-Epioleanolic acid, ALPHA-SITOSTEROL, ALUMINUM, Ash, BARIUM.

3-Epioleanolic acid

1. Dr. Duke

ALPHA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BARIUM

1. Dr. Duke

BENZYL CINNAMATE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

BORNYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke

BORON

1. Dr. Duke

Borneol

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Liquidambar styraciflua has 377 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include (-)-Chronotropic, (-)-Inotropic, ACE-Inhibitor, AP-1-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor.

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acnegenic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Liquidambar styraciflua has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antioxidant, thrombosis.

Antioxidant

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Thrombosis

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

Preparations

Liquidambar styraciflua has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanolic leaf extracts.

Methanolic leaf extracts

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS