Swertia bimaculata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Swertia bimaculata var. impunctata
• Swertia bimaculata var. macrocarpa
• Ophelia bimaculata
• Swertia platyphylla
• Frasera bimaculata
• Swertia plantaginifolia
• Swertia mairei
• Silene esquirolii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Swertia bimaculata, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Gentianales. Finally, it is a member of the family Gentianaceae and falls under the genus Swertia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several distinct regions within the vast landscape of China. Specifically, it can be found growing in the South-Central areas of the country. Its distribution also extends northward into the Inner Mongolia region. Furthermore, the species is documented in the North-Central and Southeast portions of China. Finally, the plant is also located within the high-altitude terrain of Tibet.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Swertia bimaculata is characterized by its significant adaptability to varying altitudinal gradients across its natural habitat. This species thrives within a broad elevational range, spanning from low-lying areas at a minimum of 250 m AMSL to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum of 3700 m AMSL. Throughout its distribution, it maintains a mean elevation of approximately 1625 m AMSL, suggesting a preference for montane or sub-alpine ecological zones where it can navigate diverse climatic conditions associated with these varying heights.

Elevational range max:

3700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1625 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

250 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Swertia bimaculata is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a perennial herb, it typically establishes itself through a robust root system that enables it to survive dormant periods before emerging to complete its reproductive cycle. During its active phase, the plant undergoes a distinct developmental progression from vegetative growth to a flowering stage, often marked by the emergence of erect stems adorned with characteristic spotted leaves. This enduring lifecycle ensures that the species can withstand seasonal fluctuations, repeatedly contributing to its population density in its natural montane habitats through successive cycles of growth and seed production.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Swertia bimaculata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. As a terrestrial plant, it does not exhibit climbing behavior, functioning instead as a self-supporting organism. The plant displays significant variation in stature, with its height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.4 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.85 m.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

1.4 m

Plant height mean:

0.85 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Swertia bimaculata is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its foliage, which play a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and environmental adaptation. The leaves exhibit a significant range in size, with lengths varying from a minimum of 3.5 cm to a maximum of 9 cm, maintaining a mean leaf length of approximately 6.25 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width spans from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. These dimensional variations in the leaf blades reflect the plant's physiological strategy for optimizing light interception and gas exchange within its natural habitat.

Leaf length max:

9 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.25 cm

Leaf length min:

3.5 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Swertia bimaculata is characterized by the development of specific fruit and seed morphological traits essential to its life cycle. The plant produces fruits that exhibit a highly consistent dimension, with a mean, minimum, and maximum length all measured at 2.3 cm. Complementing the fruit structure is the production of seeds that demonstrate uniform mass characteristics; the seed mass remains constant across its developmental range, with a mean, minimum, and maximum value all recorded at 2e-04 g. These precise metrics in fruit size and seed weight define the reproductive output and dispersal potential of the species.

Fruit length max:

2.3 cm

Seed mass mean:

2e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Swertia bimaculata has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Gentiopicroside, Sweroside, Swertiamarin, Mangiferin.

Gentiopicroside

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Sweroside

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Swertiamarin

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Mangiferin

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Conditions

Swertia bimaculata has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Antidiabetic.

Antidiabetic

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Preparations

Swertia bimaculata has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanol extract, n-butanol extract.

Ethanol extract

1. Planta medica

N-butanol extract

1. Planta medica