French-peanut

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• French-peanut
• luckytree
• moneytree
• saba nut tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bombax oleagineum
• Pochota glabra
• Bombax glabrum
• Bombacopsis glabra
• Bombax anisophyllum
• Bombax kimuenzae
• Pachira oleagina
• Bombax columellatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Pachira glabra, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified within the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Malvales. Finally, it is a member of the family Malvaceae and is categorized under the genus Pachira.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Pachira glabra, is native to the specific regions of West Tropical Africa. Its natural habitat encompasses several key countries located within this tropical belt. Specifically, its distribution can be traced through Benin and Ghana. Furthermore, the species is found growing within the territories of Guinea and Ivory Coast. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends into Liberia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pachira glabra is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse and heterogeneous biomes, demonstrating significant adaptability to varying moisture levels and vegetation structures. It is prominently found within the Cerrado (latu sensu), where it must contend with seasonal water limitations and more open canopy structures, as well as in the Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, where it experiences distinct dry and wet periods. Additionally, the species extends its ecological range into the Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial), indicating a capacity to inhabit high-humidity, high-rainfall environments with dense, continuous canopies. This broad distribution across seasonal and ombrophilous forests suggests a versatile physiological strategy that allows the plant to occupy multiple ecological niches within tropical and subtropical landscape mosaics.

Habitat :

Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Pachira glabra is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist and thrive through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds and vital structures are elevated above the ground level on woody stems, a structural adaptation typical of large woody plants. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year without undergoing a seasonal shedding of leaves, ensuring continuous photosynthetic activity. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a phanerophyte life form allows the plant to establish a dominant presence within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pachira glabra is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which functions as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or liana. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and is classified as a terrestrial plant rather than an epiphyte or aquatic species. In terms of stature, the plant reaches significant dimensions, with documented heights ranging from a maximum of 12 m to a mean height of approximately 17 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

17 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pachira glabra is characterized by its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism where carbon dioxide is fixed directly through the Calvin cycle without the specialized spatial or temporal separation found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic approach involves the initial fixation of CO2 by the enzyme RuBisCO to form a three-carbon compound, which is typical for many tropical woody species. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition processes, Pachira glabra is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pachira glabra is driven by biotic pollination syndromes, relying heavily on living organisms to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Specifically, the plant exhibits pollination mechanisms geared toward insects, involving a variety of specialized pollinators such as bees, beetles, ants, butterflies, moths, and flies. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds that exhibit distinct morphological dimensions; these seeds typically range in length from a minimum of 15 mm to a maximum of 30 mm.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

30 mm

Seed length min:

15 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pachira glabra has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Pachira glabra has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include triacontyl p-coumarate.

triacontyl p-coumarate

1. Phytochemistry

Preparations

Pachira glabra has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include vegetal extract.

Vegetal extract

1. Phytochemistry