Red Plum

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Red Plum
• Spanish-plum
• hog-plum
• red mombin
• siniguela

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Spondias purpurea f. lutea
• Spondias negrosensis
• Spondias crispula
• Spondias jocote-amarillo
• Spondias mexicana
• Warmingia pauciflora
• Spondias oliviformis
• Spondias purpurea var. munita

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Spondias purpurea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Sapindales and the family Anacardiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Spondias.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across multiple continents and regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in Bangladesh. Additionally, the species is distributed within the Malesia region, specifically located in Jawa. These varied locations highlight the wide ecological range inhabited by Spondias purpurea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Spondias purpurea is characterized by its adaptability to diverse tropical and subtropical environments, thriving across a broad altitudinal gradient. It occupies a significant vertical range, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2000 m AMSL. This wide distribution allows the species to inhabit various ecological niches, from lowland coastal regions to higher-altitude montane zones. The plant typically favors well-drained soils and can tolerate seasonal moisture fluctuations, often finding success in disturbed habitats, forest edges, and agricultural landscapes where sunlight is abundant. Its ability to persist across this 2000-meter elevational span reflects its robust physiological capacity to adjust to varying temperature regimes and atmospheric pressures found throughout its natural and introduced ranges.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Spondias purpurea is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to establish long-term presence in its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. Throughout its existence, the plant exhibits a deciduous growth habit, undergoing seasonal cycles where it sheds its foliage, typically in response to environmental cues such as changes in moisture availability or temperature. This rhythmic shedding of leaves is a key component of its survival strategy, managing resource allocation across its extended lifespan.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Spondias purpurea is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a tree, though it can occasionally exhibit shrub-like characteristics. It is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit epiphytic behavior, remaining strictly terrestrial throughout its life cycle. As an independent organism, it does not act as a parasite. The plant reaches a significant stature, with an average height of approximately 10 m and a maximum potential height of up to 15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Spondias purpurea is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutritional strategies, functioning primarily through a C3 photosynthetic pathway. This carbon fixation mechanism involves the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO, which is typical for many woody tropical species but necessitates efficient water management to minimize photorespiration in high-temperature environments. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interaction, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as rhizobia, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms. Consequently, its physiological development and biomass accumulation are heavily dependent on the availability of nitrogen within the soil substrate to support protein synthesis and enzymatic functions.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Spondias purpurea is characterized by the production of fleshy, indehiscent drupes that serve as the primary vessel for seed dispersal. These fruits are typically characterized by a mean length of 2.22 cm and a mean width of 1.67 cm. Because the fruit is fleshy, it utilizes a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals to consume the fruit and distribute the seeds. The seeds contained within these drupes exhibit highly consistent dimensions, with a mean length of 5.97 mm (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 5.97 mm) and a consistent volume of 4800 mm³. Regarding seed mass, the plant displays a mean mass of 0.488 g, though recorded values range from a minimum of 0.013 g to a maximum of 0.013 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

2.22 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

1.67 cm

Seed length mean:

5.97 mm

Seed mass max:

0.013 g

Seed mass mean:

0.488 g

Seed volume max:

4800 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Spondias purpurea has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Spondias purpurea has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ash, CALCIUM, FAT, Farnesyl acetate, Geranylgeraniol.

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Farnesyl acetate

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Geranylgeraniol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

IRON

1. Dr. Duke

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Phytol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

SODIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Spondias purpurea has 210 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Allergenic, Analgesic, Androgenic?.

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

AntiAGE

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCFS

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCTS

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCrohn's

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Spondias purpurea has 7 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include DNA damage, Parkinson's disease, cancer, enterobacterial infections, gastrointestinal disorders.

Dna damage

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Parkinson's disease

1. Frontiers in neurology

Cancer

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Enterobacterial infections

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Gastrointestinal disorders

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Non-hodgkin's lymphoma

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Preparations

Spondias purpurea has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include MeOH leaf extract, ethanolic extracts.

Meoh leaf extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology