Neoshirakia japonica

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range across several key regions in Eastern Asia. Within China, it is widely distributed across the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast territories. Its presence extends beyond the mainland to include the islands of Japan. Additionally, the species can be found throughout the Korean Peninsula. Collectively, these locations highlight the plant's significant footprint across the Eastern Asian landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Neoishiaki japonica is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting traits consistent with both phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte life forms. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its perennating buds at a significant height above the soil surface, protected by its structural growth. Its developmental cycle is further defined by its status as a nanophanerophyte, indicating that while it follows the phanerophyte strategy of elevating its buds, it remains relatively small in stature. This life strategy allows the species to navigate its specific ecological niche by ensuring its vital reproductive and vegetative buds are positioned above the immediate ground level, facilitating survival through seasonal environmental shifts.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Neoshirakia japonica is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a tree. This species exhibits significant variation in stature, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 8 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 4.5 m. Although it possesses the structural capacity to function as a self-supporting liana or vine, its primary growth habit is categorized as self-supporting. As a terrestrial organism, it functions as an independent plant, meaning it does not exhibit parasitic behavior, growing instead as a free-standing woody specimen.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

8 m

Plant height mean:

4.5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Neoshirakia japonica is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions of its foliage, which play a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and environmental interaction. The leaf architecture exhibits significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 7 cm to a maximum of 16 cm, maintaining an average length of approximately 11.5 cm. This longitudinal variation is complemented by a specific breadth profile, where leaf widths fluctuate between a minimum of 4 cm and a maximum of 8 cm, resulting in a mean width of 6 cm. These dimensional parameters suggest a dynamic surface area adaptation, allowing the plant to optimize light interception and gas exchange processes within its physiological framework.

Leaf length max:

16 cm

Leaf length mean:

11.5 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width mean:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Neoshirakia japonica is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its flowering and fruiting structures. The plant produces inflorescences that vary in length, ranging from a minimum of 0.045 m to a maximum of 0.11 m. Following fertilization, the development of the fruit shows a measurable range in width, with minimum dimensions of 1 cm, a mean width of 1.25 cm, and a maximum width reaching 1.5 cm. The resulting seeds produced through this reproductive cycle are highly uniform in mass, maintaining a consistent value of 0.08859 g for the minimum, mean, and maximum seed mass.

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.25 cm

Fruit width min:

1 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.11 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.045 m

Seed mass mean:

0.08859 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Neoshirakia japonica has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Fitoterapia
2. Phytochemistry

Stem

1. Fitoterapia
2. Phytochemistry

Preparations

Neoshirakia japonica has 1 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanol extract.

Ethanol extract

1. Phytochemistry