Ludwigia perennis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented within the borders of Benin, where it thrives in local ecosystems. The species also extends into the territories of Burkina and the Ivory Coast. Furthermore, its habitat reaches as far as Mali and Mauritania. Together, these locations define the known range of this medicinal species throughout the West African landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ludwigia perennis is characterized by its adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients and specific successional environments. This species inhabits a broad elevational range, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 1500 m AMSL, with an average elevational presence occurring at approximately 475 m AMSL. In terms of its preferred environment, the plant is typically found growing within dense secondary shrublands and rudeeral vegetation, thriving in these disturbed or transitional ecological niches.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

475 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

dense secondary shrub and ruderal vegetation

Life history

The life history of Ludwigia perennis is characterized by a versatile reproductive strategy and specialized morphological adaptations to its aquatic environment. It exhibits a variable lifecycle, capable of functioning as an annual, biennial, or perennial plant depending on environmental stability and resource availability. In terms of its biological structure and survival mechanisms, the species displays a dual life form classification; it functions as a hydrophyte, adapted to living in or near water, while also exhibiting the characteristics of a therophyte, which typically involves completing its life cycle through a seed stage to endure unfavorable conditions.

Life form :

hydrophyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Ludwigia perennis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a vine or liana. As an independent plant, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial existence. The plant displays significant variability in its stature, with a minimum height of 0.2 m, a mean height of approximately 1 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ludwigia perennis is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional processes, most notably its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. This pathway involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds via the enzyme Rubisco during the Calvin cycle, a common trait among many aquatic and semi-aquatic herbaceous plants. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interaction, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as those found in the Rhizobiales order, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms. Consequently, its growth and physiological development are heavily dependent on the availability of nitrogenous compounds, such as nitrates or ammonium, present within its surrounding aquatic or wetland substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ludwigia perennis is characterized by the production of specialized fruit structures and minute seeds. The plant produces fruits that typically exhibit a consistent width, with recorded dimensions ranging from a minimum of 1.4 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm, maintaining a mean fruit width of approximately 1.45 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds are extremely small and uniform in size; the seed mass is consistently measured at a value of 1e-05 g, with no variation observed between the minimum, mean, and maximum seed mass measurements.

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.45 cm

Fruit width min:

1.4 cm

Seed mass mean:

1e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ludwigia perennis has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, Quercetin 3-O-glucoside, betulinic acid, quercetin, quercetin 3-O-galactoside.

Kaempferol 3-O-glucoside

1. Dr. Duke

Quercetin 3-O-glucoside

1. Dr. Duke

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke

quercetin 3-O-galactoside

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Ludwigia perennis has 162 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor, Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCrohn's

1. Dr. Duke