Creeping Psychotria

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Creeping Psychotria

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Grumilea serpens
• Uragoga serpens
• Psychotria serpens var. latifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Psychotria serpens, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Gentianales. Finally, it is a member of the Rubiaceae family and falls under the genus Psychotria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range concentrated throughout several regions of Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted in the Hainan province as well as across China Southeast. Its distribution extends further into Japan, specifically encompassing the Nansei-shoto islands. Additionally, the species is found throughout the territory of Taiwan. Together, these locations define the natural habitat of Psychotria serpens within the East Asian landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Psychotria serpens is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its stem system above the ground level, while its specific growth habit also classifies it as a nanophanerophyte, indicating a relatively low-growing woody structure. Throughout its lifespan, the plant maintains an evergreen status, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present year-round without a deciduous phase.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Psychotria serpens is characterized by a woody growth habit, manifesting primarily as a shrub or a small tree. As a climbing plant, it functions as an obligatory liana, utilizing climbing mechanisms to ascend through its environment rather than remaining self-supporting. The plant is non-parasitic, maintaining an independent nutritional status, and is strictly terrestrial in its ecological positioning.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Psychotria serpens is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in typical environmental conditions. Its vegetative morphology features leaves with an ovate form and an entire margin, providing a smooth surface area for gas exchange and light absorption. Furthermore, the plant's structural physiology is notable for the complete absence of both leaf thorns and leaf spines, indicating a lack of these specific defensive anatomical adaptations on its foliage.

Leaf form :

ovate

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Psychotria serpens is characterized by specific morphological traits in its reproductive output, particularly regarding the development and dispersal of its seeds. The plant produces seeds with a highly consistent physical profile, featuring a mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass of 0.0053 g, as well as a uniform seed volume of 23 mm³. These seeds are housed within fleshy fruits, a characteristic that dictates their method of propagation. Consequently, the plant employs a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals to consume the fleshy fruit and subsequently disperse the seeds to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass mean:

0.0053 g

Seed volume max:

23 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Psychotria serpens has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Stem

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chemicals

Psychotria serpens has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ayanin, Chrysoeriol, Dillenetin, ERIODICTYOL, Euscaphic acid.

Ayanin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chrysoeriol

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Dillenetin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

ERIODICTYOL

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Euscaphic acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Fupenzic acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Genkwanin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Homoeriodictyol

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Isosakuranetin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Jaceosidin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Conditions

Psychotria serpens has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include herpes simplex virus type 1.

Herpes simplex virus type 1

1. Antiviral research

Preparations

Psychotria serpens has 3 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves, ethanolic extracts, water and methanol extracts.

90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Ethanolic extracts

1. Antiviral research

Water and methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology