panda

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• panda
• kana

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Porphyranthus zenkeri
• Sorindeia rubiflora

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Panda oleosa, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malpighiales. Finally, its taxonomic lineage places it in the family Pandaceae and the genus Panda.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Panda oleosa, is primarily distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing within the borders of Ghana, where it is part of the local flora. The species also extends its range into Guinea, marking a significant portion of its habitat. Furthermore, its presence is well-documented in the Ivory Coast and Liberia. Finally, the plant's geographical reach includes Nigeria, completing its footprint in West Tropical Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Panda oleosa is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist in its environment over many years. As a phanerophyte, specifically categorized under both phanerophyte classifications, its reproductive buds are elevated well above the ground on woody stems. The plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage throughout the seasons rather than shedding it annually.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Panda oleosa is characterized by its growth form as a large, woody tree that attains significant stature. It is a terrestrial species, existing independently without parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of its physical dimensions, the plant typically reaches a mean height of 20 m, with recorded maximum heights reaching approximately 18.288 m. As a self-supporting tree, it does not exhibit climbing behavior such as liana or vine growth, instead maintaining a sturdy, upright structural integrity.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

18.28822238 m

Plant height mean:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Panda oleosa is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme RuBisCO. Unlike plants that employ C4 or CAM metabolic adaptations to minimize photorespiration, this species relies on the traditional carbon fixation mechanism typical of most temperate and tropical woody plants. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobium or Frankia, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, meaning it depends entirely on the uptake of nitrogenous compounds present in the soil substrate for its metabolic processes.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Panda oleosa is characterized by a specific phenological cycle and distinct morphological traits. The flowering period for this species is concentrated in the month of February, with both the flowering start and flowering end occurring during this time. A key reproductive feature of the plant is that self-fertilization is absent, indicating a reliance on cross-pollination mechanisms to ensure genetic diversity. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fleshy fruits. The seeds produced within these fruits are notable for their consistent size, maintaining a uniform seed volume with a minimum, maximum, and mean value of 35,000 mm³.

Flowering time :

Feb

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed volume max:

35000 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Panda oleosa 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 stem.

Stem

1. International journal of pharmaceutics

Chemicals

Panda oleosa has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include polyphenols.

polyphenols

1. International journal of pharmaceutics

Medicinal Uses

Panda oleosa has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemic effect.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations