Terminalia schimperiana

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Terminalia baumannii
• Myrobalanus salicifolia
• Myrobalanus glaucescens
• Terminalia salacifolia
• Terminalia velutina
• Terminalia glaucescens
• Terminalia flava
• Terminalia passargei
• Terminalia longipes
• Terminalia togoensis

Sources: Wikidata

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 Combretaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Terminalia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Terminalia schimperiana, exhibits a specific distribution pattern across West Tropical Africa. Its presence is documented in several countries within this diverse ecological zone. Specifically, it can be found growing in the nation of Benin. The species also extends its range into Burkina Faso and Ghana. Furthermore, the plant is located within the territories of both Guinea and Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Terminalia schimperiana is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural strategy that defines its primary life form. This growth habit, consistent across both its classification as a phanerophyte and its specific development as a phanerophyte, enables the plant to maintain a stable presence in its habitat over an extended lifespan.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Terminalia schimperiana is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily developing as a tree. It functions as an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies, and maintains a terrestrial life habit rather than an epiphytic one. The plant exhibits a self-supporting structure, distinguishing it from climbing forms. In terms of stature, it reaches a maximum plant height of approximately 12.19 meters.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12.19214826 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Terminalia schimperiana is fundamentally characterized by its C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy where carbon dioxide is fixed directly into a three-carbon compound during the first step of the Calvin cycle. This pathway indicates that the plant utilizes the enzyme RuBisCO for initial carboxylation, typically functioning most efficiently in environments where moisture is available and temperatures are moderate. As a C3 plant, its physiological processes involve the direct fixation of atmospheric CO2 within the mesophyll cells, which dictates its water-use efficiency and stomatal conductance patterns in response to environmental stressors. This metabolic framework underpins the plant's energy production, driving the biosynthesis of organic compounds necessary for growth, structural development, and the production of secondary metabolites.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Terminalia schimperiana is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit specific morphological and physical properties. Quantitative analysis of the seed mass reveals a relatively consistent range among individuals, with a calculated mean seed mass of 0.32377 g. The variability within the population is reflected in a maximum seed mass of 0.34338 g and a minimum seed mass of 0.30416 g. These metrics indicate a controlled distribution of resource allocation during seed development, ensuring that the reproductive units fall within a narrow mass threshold essential for their dispersal and subsequent germination processes.

Seed mass max:

0.34338 g

Seed mass mean:

0.32377 g

Seed mass min:

0.30416 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Terminalia schimperiana has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, stem.

Root

1. Toxicology reports

Stem

1. Pharmacognosy research

Chemicals

Terminalia schimperiana has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Arjunetin, STIGMASTEROL, Sericic acid, Sericoside, arjungenin.

Arjunetin

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

STIGMASTEROL

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Sericic acid

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Sericoside

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

arjungenin

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

arjunglucoside I

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

chebuloside II

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Activities

Terminalia schimperiana has 3 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antioxidant, Free-Radical Scavenging.

Antimalarial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Free-Radical Scavenging

1. Pharmacognosy research

Preparations

Terminalia schimperiana has 7 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extract, aqueous extract of Terminalia schimperiana root, aqueous extracts, aqueous root extract, decoction.

Extract

1. African dental journal : official publication of the Federation of African Dental Associations = Journal dentaire africain

Aqueous extract of terminalia schimperiana root

1. Toxicology reports

Aqueous extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Aqueous root extract

1. Toxicology reports

Decoction

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanol extract of the stem bark of terminalia glaucescens

1. Pharmacognosy research

Hydroethanolic extracts

1. Fitoterapia