Oriental arbor-vitae

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese Thuja
• Oriental Arbor-vitae
• Chinese-arborvitae
• Oriental-arborvitae
• Chinese arborvitae
• Oriental arborvitae
• Oriental thuja
• biota

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Platycladus chengii
• Thuja glauca
• Thuja flagelliformis
• Biota orientalis pendula
• Biota orientalis var. falcata
• Thuja pendula
• Thuja orientalis f. beverleyensis
• Thuja orientalis f. sieboldii
• Thuja orientalis var. semperaurescens
• Biota aurea
• Biota orientalis var. macrocarpa
• Biota falcata
• Biota prostrata
• Biota orientalis fortunei
• Thuja pyramidalis f. stricta
• Thuja orientalis f. meldensis
• Thuja taillandieri
• Biota defresneana
• Biota semperaurea
• Biota orientalis pendula-variegata
• Biota orientalis var. semperaurescens
• Biota pyramidalis
• Biota tatarica
• Thuja orientalis
• Thuja nepalensis
• Thuja orientalis var. mexicana
• Thuja orientalis var. beverleyensis
• Biota orientalis meldensis
• Biota orientalis variegata-aurea
• Biota orientalis var. verschaffeltii
• Thuja argentea
• Thuja stricta
• Biota triangularis
• Thuja antarctica
• Biota orientalis var. pendula
• Thuja australis
• Biota orientalis var. flagelliformis
• Thuja orientalis var. pendula
• Biota orientalis var. filiformis-erecta
• Thuja orientalis var. argyi
• Juniperus ericoides
• Thuja minor
• Thuja acuta
• Thuja falcata
• Biota orientalis var. cristata
• Biota orientalis var. cupressoides
• Thuja meldensis
• Thuja decora
• Thuja chengii
• Thuja orientalis var. sieboldii
• Thuja verschaffeltii
• Biota orientalis f. sieboldii
• Thuja pygmaea
• Biota orientalis var. beverleyensis
• Thuja pyramidalis
• Thuja tartarica
• Thuja semperaurea
• Thuja semperaurescens
• Thuja dumosa
• Thuja elegantissima
• Thuja orientalis var. flagelliformis
• Thuja expansa
• Thuja filiformis
• Thuja monstrosa
• Thuja funiculata
• Thuja intermedia
• Platycladus stricta
• Retinispora recurvata
• Retinispora decussata
• Biota excelsa
• Retinispora decurvata
• Retinispora rigida
• Retinispora flavescens
• Retinispora glauca
• Retinispora juniperoides
• Biota chengii
• Biota coraeana
• Biota dumosa
• Biota elegantissima
• Biota ericoides
• Biota fortunei
• Biota freneloides
• Biota funiculata
• Biota orientalis var. glauca
• Biota gracilifolia
• Biota intermedia
• Biota japonica
• Biota macrocarpa
• Biota meldensis
• Biota nepalensis
• Biota orientalis
• Biota orientalis var. fernandiana
• Biota pendula
• Biota semperaurescens
• Biota stricta
• Biota variegata
• Biota wareana
• Biota zuccarinii
• Platycladus orientalis subsp. chengii
• Chamaecyparis decussata
• Cupressus filiformis
• Cupressus thuja
• Xanthocyparis pendula
• Thuja orientalis f. semperaurescens
• Thuja orientalis f. elegantissima
• Biota orientalis var. elegantissima
• Thuja orientalis var. aurea-conspicua
• Thuja orientalis var. conspicua
• Thuja orientalis f. conspicua
• Biota orientalis var. aurea
• Thuja orientalis f. aurea
• Thuja pyramidalis var. stricta
• Thuja orientalis f. flagelliformis
• Biota orientalis var. filiformis
• Thuja orientalis f. juniperoides
• Thuja defresneana
• Biota orientalis var. ascotensis
• Biota orientalis var. argentea

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 the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Pinidae and order Pinales, it is a member of the Cupressaceae family. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Platycladus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse distribution across several distinct regions of the European continent. In Middle Europe, its presence is noted within the borders of Austria. It can also be found spanning the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Furthermore, the species extends its reach into the nation of Hungary. Finally, its geographical range stretches to Southwestern Europe, specifically covering Portugal and Spain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Platycladus orientalis is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments, frequently occurring in cultivated settings where it is managed for medicinal and ornamental purposes. This species exhibits a specific altitudinal distribution, typically thriving within an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 1330 m AMSL and reaches a maximum of 1800 m AMSL. However, based on observed ecological data, the species can be found at even higher reaches, with a recorded mean elevation of 2620 m AMSL, indicating its capacity to inhabit significant montane elevations.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2620 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1330 m AMSL

Habitat :

cultivated

Life history

The life history of Platycladus orientalis is characterized by its existence as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish long-term presence in its habitat. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are borne on elevated stems well above the ground, a structural strategy that facilitates its development into a substantial woody form. This plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present throughout the year, providing continuous photosynthetic capacity and structural stability across varying seasonal cycles.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Platycladus orientalis is characterized by its growth form as a woody, self-supporting plant that can manifest as either a tree or a shrub. It is a terrestrial species that grows independently, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant vertical development, with a height ranging from a minimum of 5 m to a maximum of 10 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 9.125 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

9.125 m

Plant height min:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Platycladus orientalis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant features lanceolate leaf forms with entire margins, lacking both leaf thorns and leaf spines, which contributes to its specific morphological profile. Structurally, the plant exhibits a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 612 mg/cm³, a key metric reflecting its internal tissue density and mechanical strength.

Leaf form :

lanceolate

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

612 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Platycladus orientalis is characterized by the production of small, winged seeds housed within woody, globose cones that typically mature over a period of one to two years. The reproductive cycle relies on wind pollination and seed dispersal, where the physical properties of the seeds play a crucial role in their distribution. Detailed morphological analysis reveals significant variability in seed size and weight; the seed mass exhibits a mean value of approximately 0.0154917036666667 g. This weight fluctuates across a notable range, with the smallest recorded seed mass measuring as little as 0.00205 g, while the largest, most robust seeds can reach a maximum mass of 0.025 g. This variation in mass suggests a diverse range of developmental outcomes within the seed cones, influencing how effectively the seeds are carried by air currents to establish new growth.

Seed mass max:

0.025 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0154917036666667 g

Seed mass min:

0.00205 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Platycladus orientalis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, fruit.

Leaf

1. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
2. Planta medica
3. Current issues in molecular biology
4. Microbial pathogenesis
5. Journal of chromatographic science

Seed

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Journal of Asian natural products research
3. American journal of translational research

Fruit

1. Metabolites
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Chemicals

Platycladus orientalis has 33 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, quercitrin, Cedrol, Hinokiflavone, Saponins.

Flavonoids

1. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
3. Insects

quercitrin

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Journal of chromatographic science
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Cedrol

1. Planta medica
2. PloS one

Hinokiflavone

1. Drug delivery
2. Journal of chromatographic science

Saponins

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Insects

5-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone

1. Planta medica

AFB1

1. Journal of food and drug analysis

Aflatoxin

1. Frontiers in microbiology

Aframodial

1. Journal of natural products

Afzelin

1. Journal of chromatographic science

Activities

Platycladus orientalis has 6 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antiinflammatory.

Antioxidant

1. Microbial pathogenesis
2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
3. Metabolites

Antifungal

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Antimicrobial

1. Microbial pathogenesis
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

Anticancer

1. Drug delivery

Antiinflammatory

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Platelet-Activating-Factor-Inhibitor

1. Planta medica

Medicinal Uses

Platycladus orientalis has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Plasmodium falciparum, alopecia, angiogenesis, antioxidant, antioxidant activity.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations