Semi-pinnated Brake

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Semi-pinnated Brake

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Litobrochia dimidiata
• Pteris dimidiata

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. It is further categorized under the subclass Polypodiinae and the order Polypodiales. Finally, it falls into the family Pteridaceae and is identified by the genus Pteris.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions in East Asia. Within China, it can be found spanning both the South-Central and Southeast territories. Its presence extends into the Japanese archipelago, specifically including the Nansei-shoto islands. Additionally, the species is documented as being native to the Korean Peninsula. Collectively, these areas define the natural range of Pteris semiinnata across Eastern Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Morphology

The morphology of Pteris semipinnata is characterized by a growth form categorized as a herb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its vegetative body. This plant is fundamentally terrestrial in its ecological habit, ranging across habitats that can be described as aquactic, semiaquatic, or terrestrial, though it primarily maintains a terrestrial existence. It functions as a self-supporting organism rather than a climber, lacking any obligatory or facultative climbing mechanisms. Furthermore, its epiphytic status is strictly terrestrial, meaning it does not exhibit holoepiphytic, hemiepiphytic, or facultative epiphytic behaviors, instead establishing itself firmly in the soil.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pteris semipinnata is characterized by a fundamental reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a trait common among most pteridophytes. In this metabolic process, the initial fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurs via the enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), which facilitates the incorporation of $\text{CO}_2$ into a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA), within the mesophyll cells. Unlike C4 or CAM plants, Pteris semipinnata does not possess specialized Kranz anatomy or temporal separation mechanisms to concentrate carbon dioxide, meaning it is susceptible to photorespiration when environmental temperatures rise or stomatal conductance decreases. Consequently, its physiological efficiency is highly dependent on maintaining adequate moisture levels to facilitate gas exchange and manage the metabolic costs associated with the oxygenase activity of RuBisCO.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Pteris semipinnata has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5F, 6F.

5F

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

6F

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

Activities

Pteris semipinnata has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antitumor.

Antitumor

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Conditions

Pteris semipinnata has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include tumor.

Tumor

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