Chinese scholartree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese scholartree
• Japanese pagoda-tree
• pagoda-tree
• Japanese pagoda tree
• pagoda tree
• Scholar tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pongamia chinensis
• Anagyris chinensis
• Styphnolobium japonicum var. pubescens
• Sophora japonica f. pendula
• Sophora pendula
• Sophora japonica var. vestita
• Sophora sinensis
• Sophora japonica f. columnaris
• Ormosia esquirolii
• Sophora angustifoliola
• Sophora vestita
• Sophora japonica f. praecox
• Sophora sinica
• Sophora pubescens
• Styphnolobium japonicum var. pendulum
• Sophora japonica f. violacea
• Sophora korolkowii
• Sophora japonica
• Radiusia chinensis
• Sophora japonica f. oligophylla
• Sophora japonica var. pendula
• Sophora japonica var. pubescens
• Sophora japonica var. violacea
• Styphnolobium japonicum f. violaceum
• Styphnolobium japonicum f. vestitum
• Styphnolobium japonicum f. oligophyllum
• Sophora japonica f. oligophylla
• Styphnolobium japonicum f. pendulum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and is specifically identified by the genus Styphnolobium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several key regions of the European continent. In Middle Europe, its distribution includes the territories of Czechia and Slovakia, as well as Hungary. Moving toward the west, the species can be found throughout Southwestern Europe, specifically in France and Spain. Additionally, its range extends into Southeastern Europe within the borders of Romania. Together, these locations illustrate a wide geographical spread across various European climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Styphnolobium japonicum is characterized by its adaptability to various environments, though it has specific historical associations with human-managed landscapes. In particular, the species has been successfully cultivated in gardens throughout the southern regions of the USSR, where it thrives under managed conditions. This cultivation pattern suggests a preference for temperate climates found in these southern latitudes, where it can integrate into ornamental and horticultural settings. Its ecological presence in these regions highlights its capacity to adjust to localized soil and climatic conditions typical of garden ecosystems in those geographic zones.

Habitat :

cultivated in dardens in southern regions of the USSR

Life history

The life history of Styphnolobium japonicum is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish long-term presence in its ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that enables it to thrive as a robust tree. This phanerophyte life form ensures that the plant can withstand seasonal environmental shifts, maintaining its structural integrity and reproductive potential over many years.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Styphnolobium japonicum is characterized by its robust, woody growth form, functioning as a self-supporting tree. It is a terrestrial species that exists as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. The plant displays a significant vertical structure, typically reaching a plant height ranging from a minimum of 10 m to a maximum of 20 m. As a purely terrestrial tree, it does not exhibit aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, maintaining a stable, self-supporting stature throughout its life cycle.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height min:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Styphnolobium japonicum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation mechanisms and metabolic efficiency in varying environmental conditions. This metabolic strategy involves the direct fixation of CO2 via the enzyme RuBisCO, typically favoring temperate climates where moisture and temperature are moderate. Furthermore, the structural integrity and mechanical properties of its vegetative components are supported by a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 702 mg/cm³. This density value reflects the internal cellular composition and lignification of the stem tissues, contributing to the plant's overall structural stability and resource transport capabilities.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

702 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of Styphnolobium japonicum is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering period that typically commences in July and concludes in August. The plant produces fleshy fruits, which facilitate a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals to aid in the spreading of its offspring. The seeds produced are relatively uniform in size, with a recorded maximum and mean seed volume of 110 mm³. In terms of weight, the seeds exhibit slight variations, with a minimum mass of 0.1012 g, a mean mass of 0.109639 g, and a maximum mass reaching 0.1356 g.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

0.1356 g

Seed mass mean:

0.109639 g

Seed mass min:

0.1012 g

Seed volume max:

110 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Styphnolobium japonicum has 4 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 flower, fruit, leaf, seed.

Flower

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Scientific reports
3. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
4. Genes

Fruit

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
3. Nutrients
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Leaf

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Journal of natural products
3. Wiadomosci lekarskie (Warsaw, Poland : 1960)

Seed

1. Plant molecular biology

Chemicals

Styphnolobium japonicum has 99 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include quercetin, RUTIN, Flavonoids, Sophoricoside, genistein.

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cytotechnology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. The American journal of Chinese medicine
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Analytical sciences : the international journal of the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Talanta
5. Journal of natural products

Flavonoids

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Frontiers in plant science

Sophoricoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
5. The American journal of Chinese medicine

genistein

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. The American journal of Chinese medicine
5. Acta clinica Croatica

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Talanta
5. Journal of Asian natural products research

Sophorabioside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
3. Journal of natural products
4. The American journal of Chinese medicine

Genistin

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of natural products

Isorhamnetin

1. Cytotechnology
2. Journal of Asian natural products research

L-Maackiain

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of Asian natural products research

Activities

Styphnolobium japonicum has 435 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antitumor, Antiviral.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Scientific reports
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. International journal of biological macromolecules

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antiobesity

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Immunomodulator

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Styphnolobium japonicum has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer.

Cancer

1. Scientific reports

Preparations

Styphnolobium japonicum has 13 reported preparations identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extracts, ethanolic extract, ethanolic nanoemulsion, extracts, flower buds.

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extract

1. Food science & nutrition

Ethanolic nanoemulsion

1. Food science & nutrition

Extracts

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Flower buds

1. Ultrasonics sonochemistry

N-buoh extract of the pericarp

1. Journal of Asian natural products research

Pericarps

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

Processed sophora japonica

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

Seed extracts

1. Biological chemistry Hoppe-Seyler

Sophoricoside

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)