Indian Jalap Turpeth

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian jalap
• transparent wood-rose

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Turpethum australe
• Operculina triquetra
• Ipomoea triquetra
• Convolvulus turpethum
• Operculina turpethum var. heterophylla
• Convolvulus triqueter
• Ipomoea turpethum var. anceps
• Merremia turpethum
• Merremia triquetra
• Convolvulus anceps
• Operculina turpethum var. humilior
• Ipomoea anceps
• Argyreia alata
• Argyreia alulata
• Ipomoea silvana
• Turpethum indicum
• Spiranthera turpethum
• Ipomoea turpethum
• Ipomoea turpethum var. humilior
• Ipomoea diplocalyx

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is situated in the order Solanales and the family Convolvulaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Operculina.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northeast Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically within the borders of Somalia. Its presence extends into East Tropical Africa, where it inhabits both Kenya and Tanzania. Moving toward the southern regions, the species is also located in South Tropical Africa. Specifically, it grows within the territories of Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Operculina turpethum is characterized by its specific environmental preferences and distribution patterns within its natural landscape. This species is primarily found inhabiting dense secondary shrub and rudeural vegetation, where it thrives amidst disturbed or developing plant communities. Its altitudinal distribution is highly specialized, occurring at a consistent elevational range with a minimum, mean, and maximum value of 500 m AMSL. This narrow elevational niche suggests that the plant is adapted to the specific climatic and soil conditions found precisely at this altitude.

Elevational range max:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

dense secondary shrub and ruderal vegetation

Life history

The life history of Operculina turpethum is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a cryptophyte, ensuring its survival through specialized structures that remain protected during unfavorable environmental conditions. More specifically, its life form is classified as a geophyte, meaning it relies on underground storage organs to endure periods of dormancy and to facilitate regrowth.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Operculina turpethum is characterized by a growth form primarily classified as a herb, though it exhibits a variable degree of woodiness. This plant functions as an obligatory climber, specifically taking the form of a vine to ascend its environment. It typically reaches an average plant height of 3 m. Regarding its ecological habit, the species is terrestrial in nature, existing neither as an epiphyte nor as an aquatic plant. Furthermore, it maintains an independent existence, functioning as a non-parasitic organism.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

variable

Physiology

The physiology of Operculina turpethum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a carbon fixation process that is highly sensitive to temperature and moisture availability. The plant exhibits a non-succulent morphology, lacking specialized water-storage tissues in its foliage, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil nutrients rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Its leaf morphology shows significant variability in size; the leaves typically possess a mean length of 9 cm, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 14 cm. In terms of width, the leaves display a mean measurement of 8.75 cm, with a breadth that fluctuates between a minimum of 3.5 cm and a maximum of 14 cm.

Leaf length max:

14 cm

Leaf length mean:

9 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

14 cm

Leaf width mean:

8.75 cm

Leaf width min:

3.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Operculina turpethum is characterized by a diverse range of dispersal syndromes that facilitate its movement across various environments. The species exhibits a complex reproductive strategy involving multiple modes of seed and propagule movement, encompassing anemochorous, anthropochorous, autochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecochorous, unspecialized, and zoochorous mechanisms. This multifaceted approach allows the plant to utilize wind, human activity, self-dispersal, internal animal consumption, external attachment to animals, water currents, ant assistance, and general animal transport to spread its offspring.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Operculina turpethum has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ACRYLAMIDE, Betulin, Coumarins, Cycloartenol, Lupeol.

ACRYLAMIDE

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Betulin

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Coumarins

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Cycloartenol

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Lupeol

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

lanosta-5-ene

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

scopoletin

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Activities

Operculina turpethum has 7 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antispasmodic, Bronchodilator.

Analgesic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antibacterial

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antidiabetic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Antispasmodic

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Bronchodilator

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Cytotoxic

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Hepatoprotective

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Medicinal Uses

Operculina turpethum has 14 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anorexia, ascites, asthma, bronchitis, constipation.

Most Reported Uses