Litsea coreana

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Laurales, falling into the family Lauraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Litsea as the species Litsea coreana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several key regions of Eastern Asia. Within China, it is specifically found in both the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its presence extends across the Korean Peninsula, covering the area identified as Korea. The species is also widely distributed throughout Japan within the Eastern Asian region. Finally, its geographical range includes the island of Taiwan.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Litsea coreana is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its natural habitat. Throughout its development, it maintains an evergreen status, ensuring that its foliage remains lush and functional year-round without the seasonal shedding of leaves typical of deciduous species. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and continuous leaf retention supports its steady physiological processes and long-term survival in its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Litsea coreana is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than functioning as a climber or vine. As a terrestrial species, it grows independently without being an epiphyte or a parasite. The plant displays significant vertical development, with its height ranging from a minimum of 8 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 11.5 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

11.5 m

Plant height min:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Litsea coreana is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. Its leaf morphology is defined by an elliptic form with entire margins and a complete absence of thorns or spines. The leaves exhibit significant dimensional variability, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 4.5 cm to a maximum of 9.5 cm, maintaining a mean length of 7 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1.4 cm and a maximum of 4 cm, with an average width of 2.7 cm. Furthermore, the plant displays a consistent Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 117.2423372 cm²/g, reflecting its structural investment in leaf tissue density and surface area optimization for light interception.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

9.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

7 cm

Leaf length min:

4.5 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.7 cm

Leaf width min:

1.4 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) min:

117.2423372 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Litsea coreana is characterized by the production of small, relatively uniform fruits that exhibit specific morphological dimensions. The fruit dimensions are quite consistent, with the length and width following a very similar range. Specifically, the fruit length typically reaches a mean value of 0.75 cm, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 0.8 cm. Similarly, the fruit width displays a corresponding pattern, maintaining a mean size of 0.75 cm, while the width dimensions vary from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 0.8 cm. This high level of symmetry between the length and width parameters indicates that the fruits are nearly spherical or globular in shape.

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.75 cm

Fruit length min:

0.7 cm

Fruit width max:

0.8 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.75 cm

Fruit width min:

0.7 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Litsea coreana has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Astragalin, Flavonoids, Hyperoside, Isoquercitrin, polyphenols.

Astragalin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Hyperoside

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Isoquercitrin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

polyphenols

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Litsea coreana has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial.

Antibacterial

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Conditions

Litsea coreana has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Leptin, free fatty acid, hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance.

Leptin

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

Free fatty acid

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

Hyperlipidemia

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

Impaired glucose tolerance

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

Insulin resistance

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

Liver diseases

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Preparations

Litsea coreana has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include eagle tea, hawk tea, laoying cha, total flavonoids of Litsea coreana (TFLC).

Eagle tea

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Hawk tea

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Laoying cha

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Total flavonoids of litsea coreana (tflc)

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