Ashok

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• False Ashoka Tree
• Indian Mast Tree
• Mast Tree
• false ashoka

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Guatteria longifolia
• Unona longifolia
• Polyalthia longifolia

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Magnoliales, it is a member of the family Annonaceae. Taxonomically, it is identified under the genus Monoon as Monoon longifolium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several key regions across Asia and Africa. In the West-Central Tropical Africa region, it can be specifically located in Cameroon. Its presence extends into China, where it is found in both the South-Central areas and on the island of Hainan. Moving toward Eastern Asia, the species is also documented in Taiwan. Finally, its range includes the Indian Subcontinent, particularly within the state of Assam.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Monoon longifolium is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its ecological niche. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present year-round rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding process. This combination of a long-term lifecycle and continuous leaf retention enables the species to engage in steady physiological processes across varying environmental conditions.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Monoon longifolium is characterized by its substantial growth form, primarily existing as a large, woody tree that can reach a mean height of approximately 15 meters. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, maintaining an independent existence without reliance on other plants for survival, thus functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite. Although it possesses a robust and self-supporting structure, its growth habit is defined by its sturdy, woody nature, allowing it to stand firmly within its habitat without the need for climbing as a vine or liana.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Monoon longifolium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic process is typical of many woody medicinal species, relying on the stomatal uptake of CO2 under moderate environmental conditions. Furthermore, this plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as rhizobia, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate to meet its nutritional requirements for growth and secondary metabolite production.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Monoon longifolium is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a high degree of morphological consistency in terms of weight. Based on empirical data, the seed mass follows a very narrow distribution, with a calculated mean seed mass of 1.67385 g. This stability is further evidenced by the minimal variance between the observed extremes, where the maximum recorded seed mass reaches 1.6807 g and the minimum seed mass is measured at 1.667 g. Such precise uniformity in seed mass suggests a highly regulated physiological process during seed development, ensuring that each reproductive unit carries a consistent nutrient load to facilitate successful germination and early seedling establishment.

Seed mass max:

1.6807 g

Seed mass mean:

1.67385 g

Seed mass min:

1.667 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Monoon longifolium has 3 reported plant parts identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, fruit.

Leaf

1. Natural product communications
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product research
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Veterinary and animal science

Stem

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of natural products

Fruit

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Chemicals

Monoon longifolium has 24 reported phytochemicals identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, RUTIN, Saponins, Tannins, (+)-catechin.

Flavonoids

1. Natural product research
2. Pharmacognosy research

RUTIN

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. Natural product research

Saponins

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. Parasitology research

Tannins

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. Parasitology research

(+)-catechin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

(-)-8-Oxopolyalthiaine

1. Journal of natural products

Anandamide

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

COMPOUND 6

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Clerodane Diterpene

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Epicatechin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Monoon longifolium has 11 reported activities identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic.

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Natural product research

Antioxidant

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Natural product research

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry

Antidiabetic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. European journal of medicinal chemistry

Antiglycation

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihyperglycemic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry

Antiplasmodial

1. Veterinary and animal science

Preparations