umdoni

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• umdoni
• water-berry
• watertree
• waterwood
• Umdoni Waterberry
• Water Berry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

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 Myrtales, it is classified under the family Myrtaceae and is situated in the genus Syzygium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical range across several distinct regions of the African continent. Within West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in the countries of Burundi, Gabon, and Rwanda. Its presence is also well-documented throughout the vast territories of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moving eastward, the species extends its reach into the landscapes of East Tropical Africa. Specifically, this distribution includes the country of Kenya, highlighting its diverse habitat.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Syzygium cordatum is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse altitudinal gradients, allowing it to inhabit a wide variety of montane and lowland environments. It thrives within an expansive elevational range, spanning from as low as 5 m AMSL to a maximum altitude of 2300 m AMSL. This significant vertical distribution indicates that the species can tolerate a diverse spectrum of temperature regimes and atmospheric pressures, ranging from the humid, tropical warmth of coastal or riverine lowlands to the cooler, temperate conditions found in high-altitude montane zones. Such ecological plasticity enables the plant to colonize various niches within forest ecosystems, often playing a vital role in the structural complexity of these habitats across its vast altitudinal span.

Elevational range max:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

5 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Syzygium cordatum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody structures, typically growing as a robust tree or shrub. Within its specific structural classification, it can be identified as a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its growth habit. Furthermore, the species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout the year to facilitate continuous metabolic processes.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Syzygium cordatum is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting organism. It is an independent plant, meaning it does not exhibit parasitic behavior, and it maintains a terrestrial habit rather than being aquatic or epiphytic. In terms of stature, the species exhibits significant vertical development, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 3 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, resulting in a mean height of approximately 10 meters. As a self-supporting tree, it does not possess the climbing characteristics of a liana or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Syzygium cordatum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy among woody dicotyledonous plants where carbon fixation occurs primarily through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. This pathway dictates its reliance on specific environmental conditions, such as moderate temperatures and adequate water availability, to maintain efficient gas exchange and photosynthetic rates. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria (such as Rhizobium or Frankia) required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and thus relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to satisfy its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and chlorophyll production.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Syzygium cordatum is characterized by a biotic pollination strategy, primarily driven by insects, with specific involvement from bees. The plant produces fleshy, indehiscent fruits classified as berries, which serve as the vehicle for seed dispersal. These fruits facilitate a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed after being ingested by animals. The seeds themselves are relatively consistent in size and weight, exhibiting a mean seed mass of 2.222 g (with a minimum and maximum of 2.222 g) and a uniform seed volume of 59 mm³ (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 59 mm³).

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit type :

berry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

2.222 g

Seed volume max:

59 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Syzygium cordatum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, rhizome, root.

Leaf

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Inflammopharmacology

Rhizome

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Syzygium cordatum has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Saponins, Anthocyanidin, Anthraquinones, IL-6.

Flavonoids

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Saponins

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthocyanidin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthraquinones

1. Pharmaceutical biology

IL-6

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leucoanthocyanidin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Phenols

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Phytosterols

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Terpenoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Syzygium cordatum has 7 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal, Antibacterial, Anticholinesterase, Antidiabetic, Antimutagenic.

Antifungal

1. Scientific reports
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticholinesterase

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antidiabetic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimutagenic

1. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiplasmodial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Medicinal Uses

Syzygium cordatum has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cough, fever, inflammation, Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations