Newbouldia laevis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Newbouldia pentandra
• Spathodea adenantha
• Spathodea speciosa
• Spathodea pentandra
• Spathodea jenischii
• Spathodea laevis
• Bignonia glandulosa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Newbouldia laevis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Bignoniaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Newbouldia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Newbouldia laevis, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several nations in West Tropical Africa. Its presence is documented within the borders of Benin, where it thrives in local ecosystems. The species is also found spreading through the landscapes of Burkina and the Gambia. Furthermore, its range extends into the coastal and inland regions of Ghana. Finally, the plant's documented distribution includes the territory of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Newbouldia laevis is fundamentally characterized by its preference for secondary regrowth environments. Within these disturbed or regenerating successional stages, the species plays a role in the stabilizing of soil and the re-establishment of floral diversity following initial environmental shifts. By thriving in secondary regrowth, the plant occupies ecological niches where light availability and nutrient cycling are often in a state of flux, allowing it to colonize areas that have undergone prior vegetation clearance or natural disturbance. This habitat preference suggests an adaptive capacity to manage the specific microclimatic conditions and competitive dynamics inherent to transitioning plant communities.

Habitat :

secondary regrowth

Life history

The life history of Newbouldia laevis is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are elevated above the ground, a trait consistent with its classification across both its life form designations of phanerophyte. This species maintains a consistent presence in its habitat due to its evergreen nature, ensuring that it does not shed its foliage seasonally but remains physiologically active throughout the year.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Newbouldiia laevis is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial habit. This species is a self-supporting plant, lacking the climbing mechanisms of vines or lianas. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant vertical development, with a minimum height of approximately 3.05 meters and a maximum height reaching up to 12.19 meters, resulting in a mean plant height of 15 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12.19214826 m

Plant height mean:

15 m

Plant height min:

3.048037064 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Newbouldia laevis is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism wherein carbon fixation occurs via the Calvin cycle without the specialized anatomical adaptations found in C4 or CAM species. This metabolic process involves the direct fixation of atmospheric CO2 by the enzyme RuBisCO, making the plant's carbon assimilation efficiency highly dependent on environmental temperature and moisture availability. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria typically found in root nodules to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate to support its metabolic and structural development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Newbouldia laevis involves complex mechanisms for both seed production and subsequent distribution across its habitat. The dispersal syndrome of this species is multifaceted, exhibiting a combination of anemochorous, zoochorous, autochorous, and hydrochorous strategies, as well as possessing unspecialized dispersal traits. This diverse array of syndromes suggests that the plant utilizes wind (anemochory), animal vectors (zoochory), self-propelled mechanical ejection (autochory), and water currents (hydrochory) to ensure its seeds reach suitable germination sites. The presence of these various methods, including unspecialized dispersal modes, enhances the species' ability to colonize new environments and survive fluctuating ecological conditions.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Newbouldia laevis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Biological research
2. Natural product research
3. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico
4. Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports
5. Recent patents on anti-infective drug discovery

Root

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Stem

1. Journal of parasitology research

Chemicals

Newbouldia laevis has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2-Acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 3-Hydroxy-5-methoxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone, 5,7-Dihydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone, 6-Hydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone, 7-Hydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone.

2-Acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone

1. PloS one

3-Hydroxy-5-methoxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone

1. Phytochemistry

5,7-Dihydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone

1. Phytochemistry

6-Hydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone

1. Phytochemistry

7-Hydroxydehydroiso-alpha-lapachone

1. Phytochemistry

Flavonoids

1. Journal of parasitology research

Glycosides

1. Journal of parasitology research

MALTOL

1. Journal of parasitology research

Newbouldine

1. Journal of molecular modeling

Phytol

1. Journal of parasitology research

Activities

Newbouldia laevis has 5 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticonvulsant, Antifungal, Antioxidant.

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Phytochemistry

Anticonvulsant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antifungal

1. Phytochemistry

Antioxidant

1. Journal of medicinal food

Medicinal Uses

Newbouldia laevis has 17 reported medicinal uses identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria, anxiety, breast cancer, cervix cancer, convulsion.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations