Ocotea leucoxylon

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Oreodaphne parviflora
• Persea leucoxylon
• Phoebe parviflora
• Persea parviflora
• Cinnamomum parviflorum
• Laurus parviflora
• Ocotea lenticellata
• Oreodaphne leucoxylon var. elongata
• Ocotea leucoxylon var. elongata
• Ocotea lasseriana
• Ocotea froesii
• Laurus exaltata var. lancifolia
• Oreodaphne lindeniana
• Oreodaphne leucoxylon
• Ocotea duotincta
• Ocotea subracemosa
• Ocotea subsericea

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Laurales, it is classified under the family Lauraceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Ocotea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions of North and Central America. Within Mexico, it can be found spanning from the central highlands to the Gulf coast. Its presence also extends into the southwestern territories of the country. Furthermore, the species inhabits the southeastern portion of Mexico. Finally, its range reaches into Central America, specifically within the borders of Belize.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ocotea leucoxylon is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse tropical forest ecosystems, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2000 m AMSL. It is commonly found inhabiting a variety of distinct environments, including Campinarana, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, and Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). This wide distribution across both flooded and non-flooded habitats, as well as varying forest types, underscores its ability to thrive in multiple ecological niches within tropical landscapes.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Campinarana, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Ocotea leucoxylon is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to maintain its presence within its ecological niche over many years. As an evergreen plant, it does not undergo a seasonal shedding of foliage, ensuring a constant photosynthetic capacity and a stable canopy throughout its lifespan. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a consistent evergreen habit enables the species to establish a robust presence in its natural habitat, contributing to the structural complexity of its environment over time.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ocotea leucoxylon is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, reaching an average height of 16.5 m, with a recorded maximum height of 15 m. As a self-supporting organism, it does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains an independent life cycle without acting as a parasite. The plant is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, such as being a holoepiphyte or hemiepiphyte. Its structural development is defined by a robust, woody constitution typical of its tree growth habit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

16.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ocotea leucoxylon is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy among woody dicotyledonous plants that facilitates carbon fixation through the enzyme RuBisCO under standard environmental conditions. In terms of its nutrient acquisition processes, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of mineral nitrogen, such as nitrates or ammonium, directly from the soil through its root system rather than through symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ocotea leucoxylon is characterized by specific morphological traits and breeding patterns, most notably the absence of self-fertilization, which suggests a reliance on cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity. The seeds produced by this species vary significantly in size and weight; individual seed length ranges from a minimum of 6 mm to a maximum of 30 mm. In terms of mass, the seeds exhibit a range between 0.1 g and 0.1 g, with a reported mean seed mass of 0.1641 g.

Seed length max:

30 mm

Seed length min:

6 mm

Seed mass max:

0.1 g

Seed mass mean:

0.1641 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ocotea leucoxylon has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Dicentrine, Dicentrinone.

Dicentrine

1. Journal of natural products

Dicentrinone

1. Journal of natural products

Conditions

Ocotea leucoxylon has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include tumor.

Tumor

1. Journal of natural products

Preparations

Ocotea leucoxylon has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include crude extract.

Crude extract

1. Journal of natural products