Nitraria roborowskii

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Nitraria schoberi var. roborowskii
• Nitraria praevisa

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales, it is situated in the family Nitrariaceae. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Nitraria, which includes the species Nitraria roborowskii.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range spanning across several distinct regions of Asia. In Western Asia, its distribution includes the countries of Afghanistan and Iran. Moving eastward into China, it can be found in the northern territories of Inner Mongolia. The species is also documented within the North-Central region of China. Furthermore, its presence extends into the high-altitude landscapes of Qinghai.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Nitraria roborowskii is defined by its specific adaptation to high-altitude environments, where it occupies a distinct niche within its mountainous habitat. This species is primarily found within a specialized elevational range, thriving at altitudes starting from a minimum of 1500 m AMSL and extending up to a maximum of 1800 m AMSL. This narrow altitudinal band suggests that the plant is finely tuned to the particular climatic conditions, soil compositions, and temperature fluctuations characteristic of these mid-to-high mountain zones. Its distribution is thus constrained by these vertical parameters, reflecting a specialized ecological requirement for the environmental variables present within this specific elevational window.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1500 m AMSL

Morphology

The morphology of Nitraria roborowskii is characterized by a woody structure, manifesting primarily as a shrub in its growth form. This plant is classified as an independent organism, meaning it does not function as a parasite and maintains its own nutritional processes. In terms of its ecological habitat and moisture requirements, it exhibits a versatile distribution ranging from aquatic and semiaquatic environments to terrestrial habitats.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Nitraria roborowskii is characterized by a bisexual sexual reproduction system, indicating that individual plants possess both male and female reproductive organs. The plant produces seeds with varying weights, ranging from a minimum mass of 0.02967 g to a maximum mass of 0.04201 g, with an average seed mass of 0.03584 g. Dispersal is primarily achieved through zoochory, specifically utilizing an endozoochorous syndrome, where seeds are ingested and subsequently dispersed by animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.04201 g

Seed mass mean:

0.03584 g

Seed mass min:

0.02967 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Nitraria roborowskii has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Alkanes.

Alkanes

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)