Securidaca longipedunculata

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Rhodesian Tree-Violet
• Tree Violet
• Violet-Tree
• Wild Violet-Tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Elsota longipedunculata
• Securidaca oblongifolia
• Securidaca spinosa
• Securidaca angustifolia
• Securidaca longepedunculata var. angustifolia
• Securidaca longepedunculata var. parvifolia
• Lophostylis angustifolia
• Lophostylis pallida
• Lophostylis oblongifolia

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 ordered under Fabales and placed in the family Polygalaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by its genus, Securidaca.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several regions within West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its presence has been documented in the nation of Benin. It is also found growing within the borders of Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species can be located in the Gambia and Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends into Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Securidaca longepedunculata is characterized by its adaptability to diverse landscapes, primarily thriving within secondary bush, wooded grasslands, and along forest edges. It occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, demonstrating significant resilience across varying topographical gradients. This species is found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 109 m AMSL to a maximum of 1700 m AMSL, allowing it to inhabit a wide variety of ecological zones across its distribution range.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

109 m AMSL

Habitat :

secondary bush and wooded grassland, forest edges

Life history

The life history of Securidaca longepedunculata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth strategy, it is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically identified under both life form categories of phanerophyte, which indicates that its perennating buds are located high above the ground on woody stems. This life form enables the species to survive unfavorable seasonal conditions by maintaining its vital structures in elevated, protected positions.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Securidaca longepedunculata is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber or liana. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic habits and functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. The plant's stature is variable, with height measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of approximately 6.10 m, maintaining an average height of roughly 5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

6.096074128 m

Plant height mean:

5 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Securidaca longepedunculata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. As a C3 plant, it typically exhibits higher efficiency in cooler or temperate environments compared to C4 or CAM species, though it has adapted to thrive in various African habitats. Furthermore, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as Rhizobium) to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of available nitrogenous compounds, such as nitrates and ammonium, from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Securidaca longepedunculata is characterized by a biotic pollination strategy that relies primarily on animal vectors. Specifically, the plant utilizes an insect-based pollination syndrome, with bees playing a significant role in the transfer of pollen. Following successful fertilization, the plant employs an autochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed through self-release mechanisms rather than relying on external agents like wind or animals for transport. The resulting seeds exhibit a measurable range in mass, with a minimum weight of approximately 0.17492 g and a maximum weight reaching 0.43155 g, resulting in a calculated mean seed mass of 0.2599633335 g.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.43155 g

Seed mass mean:

0.2599633335 g

Seed mass min:

0.17492 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Securidaca longepedunculata 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 root, leaf.

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
3. Ecology and evolution

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Securidaca longepedunculata has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,6,8-trihydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1,6-dihydroxy-2,3,4,5,8-pentamethoxyxanthone, 1,7-Dihydroxy-4-methoxyxanthone, 2-hydroxy-1,7-dimethoxyxanthone, 4,6,8-Trihydroxy-1,2,3,5-tetramethoxyxanthone.

1,6,8-trihydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxanthone

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

1,6-dihydroxy-2,3,4,5,8-pentamethoxyxanthone

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

1,7-Dihydroxy-4-methoxyxanthone

1. ACS chemical neuroscience

2-hydroxy-1,7-dimethoxyxanthone

1. ACS chemical neuroscience

4,6,8-Trihydroxy-1,2,3,5-tetramethoxyxanthone

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

8-Hydroxy-1,4,5,6-tetramethoxy-2,3-methylenedioxyxanthone

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

BENZYL BENZOATE

1. ACS chemical neuroscience

Methyl 2-hydroxy-6-methoxybenzoate

1. Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS

Methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

1. Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS

Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate

1. Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS

Activities

Securidaca longepedunculata has 2 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiepileptic.

Antioxidant

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. Frontiers in veterinary science

Antiepileptic

1. ACS chemical neuroscience

Conditions

Securidaca longepedunculata has 13 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Brain Tumor, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, anxiety, epilepsy, erectile dysfunction.

Brain tumor

1. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anxiety

1. CNS drugs

Epilepsy

1. ACS chemical neuroscience

Erectile dysfunction

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Liver diseases

1. Natural product communications

Malaria

1. Natural product communications

Mental disorders

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Pancreatic cancer

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Rhinitis

1. African health sciences

Preparations

Securidaca longepedunculata has 14 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include CHCl(3) extracts, CHCl3 extract of the roots, Chloroform and ethanol extracts of root bark, Crude methanol and water extracts, Ethanol extracts.

Chcl(3) extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Chcl3 extract of the roots

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Chloroform and ethanol extracts of root bark

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude methanol and water extracts

1. Human & experimental toxicology

Ethanol extracts

1. Advances in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of tropical medicine

Methanolic extracts

1. Journal of medicinal food

Chloroform extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dichloromethane (dcm) and ethanol (etoh) extracts

1. ACS chemical neuroscience