Dogwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Dogwood
• Stinkwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Piscidia guaricensis
• Ichthyomethia piscipula var. acuminata
• Piscidia acuminata
• Ichthyomethia americana
• Ichthyomethia acuminata
• Piscidia americana
• Lonchocarpus guaricensis

Regional and Traditional Names

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 organized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is specifically identified by the genus Piscidia, of which Piscidia caribbeanensis is a notable member.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across several distinct regions of Mexico. It can be found throughout Mexico Central and extends into the Mexico Northeast area. Furthermore, its distribution covers the Mexico Southwest and the Mexico Southeast territories. Beyond the borders of Mexico, the species is also documented within Central America. Specifically, it is known to grow in the country of Costa Rica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Piscidia carthagenensis is characterized by its adaptation to low-lying coastal and lowland environments, typically thriving in tropical habitats. It occupies a specific altitudinal niche, ranging from a minimum elevation of 0 m AMSL to a maximum elevation of 100 m AMSL. This distribution suggests a preference for sea-level ecosystems and alluvial plains, where it often integrates into seasonally flooded areas or moist forest margins. The species is well-suited to the humid, warm conditions found within this narrow elevational band, where soil moisture and tropical thermal stability facilitate its growth and survival within its natural range.

Elevational range max:

100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Piscidia carthagenensis is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, meaning it maintains its physiological functions and structures over many years rather than completing its cycle in a single season. As a long-lived woody plant, it undergoes a continuous developmental process that includes establishing a robust root system and a significant trunk to support its long-term survival in its natural habitat. Its life cycle transitions from initial seedling establishment through various stages of vegetative growth, eventually reaching reproductive maturity where it undergoes periodic flowering and fruiting cycles. Because it is a perennial, the plant possesses the capacity for seasonal regrowth and can withstand environmental fluctuations over multiple annual cycles, ensuring a sustained presence in its ecosystem.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Piscidia carthagenensis is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree, reaching a maximum plant height of approximately 12 m. It functions as a self-supporting, independent organism, exhibiting neither parasitic nor climbing behaviors such as liana or vine traits. As a terrestrial species, it does not occupy aquatic or semiaquatic habitats, nor does it exhibit epiphytic life stages, remaining strictly grounded. The plant's structural integrity is defined by its significant woodiness, which supports its upright, tree-like stature in its natural environment.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Piscidia carthagenensis is characterized by its specialized metabolic processes designed to thrive in tropical and subtropical environments. Central to its energy production is its photosynthetic pathway, which operates via the C3 mechanism; this means the plant utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide, directly incorporating it into three-carbon organic compounds during the initial carboxylation step. This C3 pathway dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and transpiration rates, as it must keep its stomata open for gas exchange, a physiological trade-off common in species inhabiting seasonal climates. Beyond carbon fixation, the plant's physiological profile includes complex secondary metabolic pathways responsible for the synthesis of bioactive alkaloids and terpenoids, which serve as chemical defenses. These metabolic processes are closely integrated with its vascular system, which manages the translocation of nutrients and water to support both vegetative growth and the energetic demands of producing its medicinal constituents.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Piscidia cartagenensis is characterized by the production of seeds with highly consistent physical dimensions, indicating a specialized morphological profile for dispersal. The seeds exhibit a uniform length, with a recorded mean, minimum, and maximum value of 16.04 mm, suggesting a lack of significant size variation within the population. Furthermore, the seed mass is remarkably standardized, maintaining a consistent value across the measured spectrum with a mean, minimum, and maximum mass of 0.06452 g. This morphological uniformity in both length and mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy in the development of its progeny.

Seed length mean:

16.04 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.06452 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Piscidia carthagenensis has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal, Cytotoxic, Pesticide.

Antifungal

1. Puerto Rico health sciences journal

Cytotoxic

1. Puerto Rico health sciences journal

Pesticide

1. Puerto Rico health sciences journal

Preparations