Vjok

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• camu-camu

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Eugenia grandiglandulosa
• Myrtus phillyreoides
• Myrciaria spruceana
• Psidium dubium
• Myrciaria phillyreoides
• Myrciaria obscura
• Myrciaria paraensis
• Myrciaria lanceolata var. angustifolia
• Myrciaria lanceolata var. glomerata
• Myrciaria lanceolata var. laxa
• Myrciaria divaricata
• Myrciaria lanceolata
• Myrciaria caurensis
• Myrciaria riedeliana

Regional and Traditional Names

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 and the order Myrtoales, falling within the family Myrtaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Myrciaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across the South American continent. In the northern part of the continent, its distribution includes Guyana and Venezuela. Moving toward the western regions, it can also be found thriving in Colombia and Ecuador. Additionally, the species extends its reach further south into Bolivia. Overall, these locations highlight its significant presence across both northern and western South America.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Myrciaaria dubia is characterized by its preference for specific low-altitude wetland ecosystems, specifically within the Floresta de Várzea habitat. This plant thrives in these seasonally flooded forest environments, maintaining a specialized ecological niche dictated by its altitudinal requirements. Its distribution is restricted to a narrow elevational range, occurring between a minimum of 100 m AMSL and a maximum of 150 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

150 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Várzea

Life history

The life history of Myrciaria dubia is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist in its environment over many years. Depending on the specific environmental conditions and developmental stages, its growth habit can be classified under different life forms, exhibiting traits of both phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte structures. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional across different seasons without the need for a complete seasonal shedding of leaves.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Myrciaria dubia is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as an independent organism, meaning it does not act as a parasite. This terrestrial species exhibits a significant range in stature, with a plant height that typically reaches a mean of 3 m, though individual specimens can vary from a minimum of 3 m to a maximum of 17 m. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is classified as self-supporting rather than a liana, vine, or climbing entity. Furthermore, it is strictly a terrestrial plant, lacking any epiphytic or aquatic characteristics.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

17 m

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Myrciaria dubia is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional strategies. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle, a process typical of most woody tropical species. Regarding its nutrient acquisition, the species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms and must instead rely on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium present in the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Myrciaria dubia has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

1. Bioelectromagnetics
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Myrciaria dubia has 51 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ascorbic acid, Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, 4-Terpineol, ALPHA-PHELLANDRENE.

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Toxicology mechanisms and methods
3. Bioelectromagnetics

Anthocyanins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammopharmacology

Flavonoids

1. Inflammopharmacology
2. Toxicology mechanisms and methods

4-Terpineol

1. Dr. Duke

ALPHA-PHELLANDRENE

1. Dr. Duke

ALPHA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha terpinene

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-PHELLANDRENE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Myrciaria dubia has 335 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic, ACE-Inhibitor, Abortifacient.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammopharmacology

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammopharmacology

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammopharmacology

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Myrciaria dubia has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include oxidative damage, spermatogenesis.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations