Phyllanthus ussuriensis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Phyllanthus wilfordii
• Cathetus ussuriensis
• Phyllanthus matsumurae
• Phyllanthus virgatus var. chinensis
• Phyllanthus simplex var. ussuriensis
• Phyllanthus simplex var. chinensis

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Phyllanthaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Phyllanthus, specifically as the species Phyllanthus ussuriensis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several key regions in East Asia. In the Russian Far East, its presence is documented in both the Khabarovsk and Primorye territories. Moving into China, it can be found throughout the Manchuria region. Furthermore, its range extends into the China North-Central areas. Finally, the species is also established within the China South-Central provinces.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Phyllanthus ussuriensis is defined by its ability to thrive in diverse and often rugged terrain. This species is primarily found inhabiting mountainous regions, where it adapts to the varied elevations and climatic conditions characteristic of high-altitude environments. It demonstrates a notable versatility in its substrate preferences, colonizing riverine areas where moisture levels are more consistent, as well as sandy and stony places. This capacity to establish itself in nutrient-poor or physically challenging substrates, such as rocky outcrops and sandy soils, suggests a high level of resilience and a specialized niche within its natural ecosystem.

Habitat :

mountains, rivers, sand, stony places

Life history

The life history of Phyllanthus ussuriensis is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its structural growth strategy, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form that survives unfavorable environmental conditions by persisting as seeds rather than through any above-ground or underground vegetative structures. This botanical classification as a therophyte is consistently applied across its morphological assessments, indicating that the plant's presence in its habitat is transient and dependent on the successful annual germination of its seed bank.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Phyllanthus ussuriensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, functioning as an independent, terrestrial organism. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing behavior and does not act as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant maintains a relatively low profile with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.2 m, though it can reach an average height of approximately 0.6 m under certain conditions.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Phyllanthus ussuriensis is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions of its foliage that reflect its adaptive growth patterns. The leaf architecture exhibits significant variability in size, with a mean leaf length of 1 cm and a minimum length of 0.5 cm, reaching a maximum length of 1.5 cm. This longitudinal variation is complemented by a specific width profile, where the leaves maintain a mean width of 0.45 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum width of 0.6 cm. These precise measurements in leaf dimensions play a critical role in the plant's surface area regulation, influencing its photosynthetic efficiency and transpiration rates within its natural habitat.

Leaf length max:

1.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

1 cm

Leaf length min:

0.5 cm

Leaf width max:

0.6 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.45 cm

Leaf width min:

0.3 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Phyllanthus ussuriensis is characterized by the development of small, specialized fruit structures that emerge following successful pollination. The morphological profile of these fruits is notably consistent, exhibiting a highly uniform size distribution. Specifically, the fruit width maintains a constant measurement across all observed samples, with a minimum width of 0.25 cm, a maximum width of 0.25 cm, and a mean width of 0.25 cm. This lack of variance in fruit width suggests a highly stabilized reproductive output within the species, ensuring that the resulting seeds are encased in capsules of precise, standardized dimensions.

Fruit width max:

0.25 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Phyllanthus ussuriensis has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 4-O-Methylgallic acid, Xanthoxylin, ellagic acid.

4-O-Methylgallic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Xanthoxylin

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

ellagic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Preparations

Phyllanthus ussuriensis has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 75% alcohol extract, n-BuOH extract.

75% alcohol extract

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

N-buoh extract

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials