Herbal tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bastard guelder
• coastal premna
• creek premna

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Gumira truncata
• Premna corymbosa var. sambucina
• Premna obtusifolia var. minor
• Premna obtusifolia var. angustior
• Gumira opulifolia
• Premna corymbosa var. obtusifolia
• Premna integrifolia var. obtusifolia
• Premna sambucina
• Cornutia corymbosa
• Premna obtusifolia
• Premna abbreviata
• Premna integrifolia subsp. truncatolabium
• Premna borneensis
• Gumira ceramensis
• Premna integrifolia subsp. dentatolabium
• Premna corymbosa var. minor
• Premna atra
• Premna subglabra
• Premna obtusifolia var. madagascariensis
• Premna attenuata
• Gumira punctulata
• Premna spinosa
• Premna ceramensis
• Gumira nauseosa
• Premna truncata
• Premna obtusifolia var. pubescens
• Premna brongersmae
• Gumira nitida
• Premna woodii
• Gumira limbata
• Premna wrayi
• Premna dallachyana var. obtusisepala
• Premna angustior
• Gumira laevigata
• Premna tiliifolia
• Premna benguetensis
• Gumira foetida
• Premna timoriana
• Premna tahitensis var. rimatarensis
• Premna benthamiana
• Premna sumatrana
• Premna tahitensis var. rapensis
• Gumira attenuata
• Premna tateana
• Gumira cyclophylla
• Gumira dallachyana
• Premna punctulata
• Gumira divaricata
• Premna hircina
• Gumira domestica
• Premna populifolia
• Gumira abbreviata
• Premna perrottetii
• Premna corymbosa var. madagascariensis
• Premna nitida
• Premna integrifolia var. angustior
• Premna nauseosa
• Premna lamii
• Premna kunstleri
• Premna obtusifolia var. gaudichaudii
• Premna gaudichaudii
• Premna guillauminii var. serrata
• Premna obtusifolia var. velutina
• Premna foetida
• Premna octonervia
• Premna parviflora
• Premna glycycocca
• Premna ovata
• Premna glabra
• Premna paniculata
• Premna glandulifera
• Premna papuana
• Premna cyclophylla
• Premna opulifolia
• Premna dallachyana
• Premna membranifolia
• Premna dentatifolia
• Premna media
• Premna divaricata
• Premna congesta
• Premna leytensis
• Premna integrifolia var. minor
• Premna limbata
• Premna serratifolia var. minor
• Premna syringifolia

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 within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and order Lamiales, it is further categorized into the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Premna.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent and its surrounding waters. In East Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in both Kenya and Tanzania. Its presence extends further south into the region of South Tropical Africa, specifically within Mozambique. Additionally, the species is distributed throughout the Western Indian Ocean. This oceanic range includes the Aldabra islands as well as the remote Chagos Archipelago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

Premna serratifolia exhibits a broad ecological adaptability, thriving across a diverse spectrum of environmental conditions and moisture regimes. Its habitat preferences are varied, encompassing lush rain forests, seasonally dry forests, and more arid maquis (scrubland) ecosystems. This versatility allows the species to occupy multiple ecological niches, ranging from high-moisture tropical environments to more resilient, scrub-dominated landscapes. Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a significant vertical distribution across varying altitudes, maintaining a wide elevational range that extends from sea level at 2 m AMSL up to a maximum of 960 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

960 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2 m AMSL

Habitat :

rain forest, dry forest, maquis (scrubland)

Life history

The life history of Premna serratifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. In terms of its structural growth patterns and life forms, it is primarily classified as a phanerophyte, as it maintains its conductive shoots well above the ground level. Additionally, it can be described as a nanophanerophyte, reflecting a growth habit where the woody stems are relatively short, typically staying within a low range above the soil surface.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Premna serratifolia is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically categorized as a shrub. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, growing instead as an independent organism. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte. The plant's stature varies significantly, with a minimum height of 3 m, a mean height of 4.25 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 10 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

4.25 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Premna serratifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard leaf tissue hydration rather than specialized water-storage structures, and it is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil nitrogen availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Its vegetative morphology is defined by specific foliar dimensions, where the leaves typically range in length from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, and in width from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Premna serratifolia is characterized by its distinct floral and fruit morphology, beginning with flowers that vary in width from a minimum of 5 cm up to a maximum of 14 cm. Following pollination, the plant produces fleshy drupes as its fruit type, with fruit lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.2 cm to a maximum of 0.4 cm. Each individual fruit contains a small number of seeds, typically ranging between 1 and 10 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are minute, with a consistent seed mass of approximately 0.0015316 g. Morphologically, the seeds possess a length between 2 and 2.5 mm and a width ranging from 1 to 1.5 mm, resulting in a uniform seed volume of 65 mm³. The dispersal of these reproductive units is facilitated through multiple syndromes, specifically categorized as both zoochorous and hydrochorous, allowing the species to utilize animal movement and water currents for propagation.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower width max:

14 cm

Flower width min:

5 cm

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

0.4 cm

Fruit length min:

0.2 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Seed length max:

2.5 mm

Seed length min:

2 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.0015316 g

Seed volume max:

65 mm³

Seed width max:

1.5 mm

Seed width min:

1 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Premna serratifolia has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Archives of Razi Institute

Root

1. Fitoterapia
2. Journal of separation science

Chemicals

Premna serratifolia has 26 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 10-O-trans-p-Coumaroylcatalpol, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, Aphelandrine, Betulin, Clerodendrin A.

10-O-trans-p-Coumaroylcatalpol

1. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid

1. 3 Biotech

Aphelandrine

1. Ancient science of life

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

Clerodendrin A

1. Ancient science of life

GSH

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Linalool

1. Ancient science of life

Linarin

1. 3 Biotech

OLEANOLIC ACID

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Peonidin-3,5-O-di-beta-glucopyranoside

1. 3 Biotech

Activities

Premna serratifolia has 13 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, AntiHIV, Anticarcinomic, Antifeedant, Antiflu.

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antifeedant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiflu

1. Dr. Duke

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antioxidant

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke

Aphidifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Premna serratifolia has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Diabetes mellitus, Leishmania donovani, fever, inflammation.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Archives of Razi Institute

Leishmania donovani

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fever

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Premna serratifolia has 9 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include PEE, Petroleum ether extract (PEE), leaf extract, methanol extract, methanolic extracts of leaves.

Pee

1. Fitoterapia

Petroleum ether extract (pee)

1. Fitoterapia

Leaf extract

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Methanol extract

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Methanolic extracts of leaves

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Methanolic extracts of root bark (rb)

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Methanolic extracts of root wood

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Root bark

1. Journal of separation science

Vacuum dried 95% ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology