Hog plum

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Hog plum

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Spondias lutea var. glabra
• Spondias lutea var. pseudomyrobalanus
• Spondias lutea var. maxima
• Spondias aurantiaca
• Spondias lutea var. dubia
• Spondias brasiliensis
• Spondias glabra
• Spondias graveolens
• Spondias dubia
• Spondias maxima
• Mauria juglandifolia
• Spondias pseudomyrobalanus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Spondias mombin, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Sapindales. Finally, it is a member of the family Anacardiaceae and is categorized under the genus Spondias.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across both Atlantic islands and the African mainland. In the Macaronesian region, its presence is noted in the archipelago of Cape Verde. Moving to West Tropical Africa, the species is widely distributed across several nations. Specifically, it can be found growing in the territories of Benin, Burkina, and the Gambia. Furthermore, its range extends eastward to include the country of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Spondias mombin is characterized by a versatile distribution across diverse environmental settings and significant altitudinal variations. It thrives in multiple habitat types, including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), riparian forests or gallery forests (Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria), terra firme forests (Floresta de Terra Firme), and semi-deciduous seasonal forests (Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual). This species exhibits a broad elevational tolerance, capable of growing from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 1960 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1960 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual

Life history

The life history of Spondias mombin is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons and establish a long-term presence in its ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural trait that facilitates its development into a substantial tree. This growth habit is further defined by its deciduousness, as the plant undergoes a seasonal shedding of its foliage, a strategy often employed to manage moisture levels and respond to seasonal environmental shifts. Through these integrated biological traits, the species maintains a stable and enduring life history within its native habitats.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Spondias mombin is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. This species is a self-supporting, independent organism that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit parasitic or epiphytic behavior, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. Reaching significant dimensions, the plant typically achieves an average height of 14.5 m, though it has the capacity to reach a maximum height of up to 27 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

27 m

Plant height mean:

14.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Spondias mombin is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for plants in diverse tropical environments. Its leaf morphology and resource allocation are reflected in a leaf dry matter content (LDMC) of 310.3 mg/g, a consistent value across its observed minimum and maximum ranges. The foliage typically exhibits an average leaf length of 10.2 cm and an average leaf width of 5.4 cm, supported by a mean leaf thickness of 0.022 mm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on other mechanisms for nitrogen acquisition within its ecosystem.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

310.3 mg/g

Leaf length mean:

10.2 cm

Leaf thickness mean:

0.022 mm

Leaf width mean:

5.4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Spondias mombin is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects, with bees playing a significant role in the transfer of pollen. The plant produces fleshy drupes that are indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release their contents. These fruits facilitate zoochorous dispersal, relying on animals to distribute the seeds. The seeds themselves exhibit significant morphological variation: they possess a mean seed mass of approximately 0.83 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.15873 g to a maximum of 3.98 g. In terms of dimensions, the seed length varies from a minimum of 15 mm to a maximum of 100 mm, with a mean length of 23.8 mm, while the maximum seed width is recorded at 14.6 mm and the maximum seed height is 14.3 mm. The seed volume also shows a wide range, with a minimum of 3000 mm³, a maximum of 7200 mm³, and a mean volume of approximately 4257.14 mm³.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit type :

drupe

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed height max:

14.3 mm

Seed length max:

100 mm

Seed length mean:

23.8 mm

Seed length min:

15 mm

Seed mass max:

3.98 g

Seed mass mean:

0.830182222333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.15873 g

Seed volume max:

7200 mm³

Seed volume mean:

4257.14285714286 mm³

Seed volume min:

3000 mm³

Seed width max:

14.6 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Spondias mombin has 6 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, stem, flower, fruit, root.

Leaf

1. Journal of vector borne diseases
2. African health sciences
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR
5. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Stem

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
2. Fitoterapia

Flower

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Fruit

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Root

1. Fitoterapia

Seed

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Chemicals

Spondias mombin has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Apigenin-4'-glucoside, Ash, CALCIUM, FAT.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Apigenin-4'-glucoside

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoid

1. Annales pharmaceutiques francaises

Gallic acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

IRON

1. Dr. Duke

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Spondias mombin has 220 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Gastroprotective, Abortifacient, Acidifier.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Gastroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Abortifacient

1. African health sciences

Acidifier

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Spondias mombin has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Plasmodium falciparum, Gastric Ulcers, SARS-CoV-2, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer.

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Le Mali medical
2. Planta medica

Gastric ulcers

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Sars-cov-2

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cancer

1. Interdisciplinary toxicology

Cognitive dysfunction

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Cognitive impairment

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Constipation

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Dysentery

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Dysmenorrhea

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Preparations

Spondias mombin has 13 reported preparations identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts of the leaf, Aqueous extracts of the root bark, Aqueous extracts of the stem bark, Methanolic extracts, S. mombin extract.

Aqueous extracts of the leaf

1. Fitoterapia

Aqueous extracts of the root bark

1. Fitoterapia

Aqueous extracts of the stem bark

1. Fitoterapia

Methanolic extracts

1. Journal of medicinal food

S. mombin extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous ethanolic leaf extract

1. African health sciences

Aqueous leaf extracts

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Decoction

1. Heliyon

Extracts

1. Planta medica

Methanol extracts

1. BMC research notes