miracle fruit

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• miracle-fruit
• miraculous-berry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pouteria dulcifica
• Richardella dulcifica
• Sideroxylon dulcificum
• Bumelia dulcifica
• Synsepalum glycydora
• Bakeriella dulcifica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Ericales and the family Sapotaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Synsepalum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern primarily concentrated across the tropical regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is well-documented in Benin, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. It can also be found extending further east into Nigeria within the same West Tropical zone. Additionally, the species reaches into West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically inhabiting the Central African Republic. Together, these locations highlight a significant range spanning both West and West-Central tropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Synsepalum dulcificum is characterized by its distribution across a broad altitudinal gradient, allowing it to inhabit diverse forest ecosystems. This species thrives within an elevational range that extends from sea level up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. By occupying this range from 0 m AMSL to 1000 m AMSL, the plant demonstrates significant ecological plasticity, enabling it to persist in both lowland tropical environments and mid-elevation montane habitats. This vertical distribution suggests an ability to adapt to varying moisture levels, temperature fluctuations, and light intensities inherent to different forest strata within these specific altitudinal zones.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Synsepalum dulcificum is characterized by its perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its stem or shoot system well above the ground, providing a robust structure for its growth habit. Its physiological state is consistently evergreen, ensuring that it retains its foliage throughout the year without undergoing a deciduous period. Additionally, the plant exhibits characteristics consistent with a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its specific structural growth patterns within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Synsepalum dulcificum is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as either a shrub or a tree. It is a terrestrial species that does not exhibit epiphytic or aquatic tendencies, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is described as self-supporting, lacking the climbing mechanisms found in lianas or vines. The plant achieves a significant stature, with an average height of approximately 5.81 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

5.81004633 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Synsepalum dulcificum is characterized by its metabolic processes and nutrient acquisition strategies, which are integral to its growth within its natural ecological niche. In terms of its relationship with soil chemistry and nutrient cycling, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobium, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms. Consequently, its nitrogen assimilation relies entirely on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium present in the substrate through its root system. Its physiological processes involve standard photosynthetic pathways to facilitate carbon fixation, driving the energy production necessary for structural development and the synthesis of secondary metabolites. The plant's metabolic efficiency is thus heavily dependent on the availability of nitrogenous compounds in the soil rather than internal fixation mechanisms.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Synsepalum dulcificum is facilitated through the production of seeds, which serve as the primary mechanism for dispersal and the establishment of new individuals. The reproductive output is characterized by highly uniform seed dimensions, showing no variance across the measured population. Specifically, the seed mass remains constant, with a mean, maximum, and minimum value all recorded at exactly 3.5714 g. This precise consistency in seed mass suggests a stable physiological investment in each reproductive unit, ensuring that each seed carries a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support early seedling development.

Seed mass mean:

3.5714 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Synsepalum dulcificum has 4 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, root, stem.

Fruit

1. Food chemistry
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Heliyon
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Fitoterapia

Stem

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Synsepalum dulcificum has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Arthropsadiol D, Lignins, N-Cis-Feruloyl Tyramine, N-cis-Caffeoyltyramine.

Flavonoids

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Heliyon
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Arthropsadiol D

1. Fitoterapia

Lignins

1. Heliyon

N-Cis-Feruloyl Tyramine

1. Heliyon

N-cis-Caffeoyltyramine

1. Heliyon

Phytosterols

1. Heliyon

Terpenoids

1. International journal of molecular sciences

dihydro-feruloyl-5-methoxytyramine

1. Heliyon

triterpene

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

triterpenoids

1. Heliyon

Activities

Synsepalum dulcificum has 4 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Anticonvulsant, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Heliyon

Anticancer

1. Heliyon

Anticonvulsant

1. Heliyon

Antidiabetic

1. Heliyon

Medicinal Uses

Synsepalum dulcificum has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, cachexia, cancer, colorectal cancer.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations