Paepalanthus latipes

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant is specifically located within a certain region of South America. Its documented geographical distribution is primarily concentrated in Brazil. Within the country, it is found specifically in the Southeast region. This limited range suggests that the species thrives under specific environmental conditions found there. Consequently, researchers focusing on this species should prioritize field studies in the Brazilian Southeast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Paepalanthus latipes is intrinsically linked to the unique environmental conditions of the Campo Rupestre, a specialized vegetation type characterized by rocky outcrops and nutrient-poor soils. Within this habitat, the species thrives in open, sun-exposed landscapes where the substrate is often composed of quartzitic or sandstone formations, creating a mosaic of microhabitats defined by high solar radiation and periodic water scarcity. The plant is adapted to the specific edaphic and climatic stressors of these rupestrian fields, navigating the rapid drainage and the seasonal fluctuations in moisture typical of these high-altitude or rocky environments. This specialized niche dictates its distribution and survival strategies, positioning it as an integral component of the complex biodiversity found within these fragile and highly endemic ecosystems.

Habitat :

Campo Rupestre

Life history

The life history of Paepaulantus latipes is characterized by a growth habit classified as a chamaephyte, meaning its perennating buds are located close to the soil surface, allowing it to persist through varying environmental conditions. Depending on the specific ecological niche and seasonal stressors it encounters, its developmental strategy can shift across a spectrum of life forms, occasionally exhibiting characteristics of a nanophanerophyte due to its low-growing woody structure or a hemicryptophyte if its buds remain protected at the soil level. In stable, moist environments, it may function as a geophyte, utilizing underground structures for survival, or even as a helophyte if it occupies transitional wetland margins. Its lifecycle involves a transition from vegetative establishment to a reproductive phase where it utilizes its specialized growth form to navigate light availability and substrate stability, ultimately maintaining its presence in the ecosystem through these diverse survival strategies.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Morphology

The morphology of Paepalanthus latipes is characterized by its growth form as a herb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its development. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies toward other plants. While its ecological niche can vary, it is primarily classified as a terrestrial species, though it possesses the capacity to exist in aquatic or semiaquatic environments. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a climber or an epiphyte, maintaining a stable, upright, or spreading terrestrial presence.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Paepalanthus latipes 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 leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Preparations

Paepalanthus latipes has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include leaves.

Leaves

1. Journal of natural products