Aridan

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Aridan

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Adenanthera tetraptera
• Entada tetraptera

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

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

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Tetrapleura tetraptera, is primarily distributed throughout the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is specifically documented across several key nations within this tropical zone. In particular, it can be found growing in the territories of Benin and Ghana. The species also extends its reach into Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. Furthermore, its geographical range encompasses the coastal and inland areas of the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tetrapleura tetraptera is characterized by its adaptation to low-to-mid altitude tropical environments, typically thriving within a specific altitudinal gradient. The species is most commonly found in habitats ranging from an elevation of 0 m AMSL to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. Within this range, the plant occupies diverse forest ecosystems, often favoring moist lowland forests and transitional woodland zones where soil moisture and temperature are relatively stable. Its distribution is closely tied to these elevational constraints, which dictate the climatic conditions and microbial soil compositions necessary for its growth and reproductive success.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Tetrapleura tetraptera is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment over many growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated well above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that defines its primary life form. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage periodically as part of its seasonal cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tetrapleura tetraptera is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting organism. It is a terrestrial species and does not exhibit epiphytic or parasitic behavior, growing instead as an independent plant. In terms of stature, the tree reaches significant heights, typically ranging from a minimum of 6 meters to a maximum of approximately 24.38 meters, with a mean plant height recorded at 25 meters. As a self-supporting woody plant, it does not rely on climbing mechanisms such as vines or lianas to maintain its structure.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

24.38429651 m

Plant height mean:

25 m

Plant height min:

6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tetrapleura tetraptera is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency under standard environmental conditions. As a plant utilizing the C3 pathway, it undergoes the Calvin cycle directly within the mesophyll cells, making it highly dependent on specific light intensities and moisture availability for optimal gas exchange. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to fulfill its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and enzymatic functions.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tetrapleura tetraptera is characterized by a highly flexible phenological cycle, where both the flowering and fruiting periods are variable throughout the year. Because the onset and duration of flowering and fruiting can occur across any month from January through December, the plant does not adhere to a rigid seasonal schedule, making the flowering start, flowering end, fruiting start, and fruiting end times variable depending on environmental conditions. The reproductive output includes fruit that is characterized by a dry texture. The seeds produced during this cycle are remarkably consistent in size, maintaining a uniform volume with a minimum, maximum, and mean measurement of 180 mm³.

Flowering time :

variable

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruiting time :

variable

Seed volume max:

180 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tetrapleura tetraptera has 3 reported plant parts identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, stem, seed.

Fruit

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
4. Parasitology research
5. Veterinary parasitology

Stem

1. Journal of natural products
2. Veterinary parasitology
3. Fitoterapia

Seed

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Tetrapleura tetraptera has 32 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Aridanin, Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins, 9-Octadecenamide.

Aridanin

1. Journal of natural products
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Bioorganic chemistry
4. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Flavonoids

1. Veterinary parasitology
2. Heliyon
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. TheScientificWorldJournal

Saponins

1. Veterinary parasitology
2. Heliyon

Tannins

1. Veterinary parasitology
2. Heliyon

9-Octadecenamide

1. Veterinary parasitology

Bayluscide

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Betulic acid

1. Veterinary parasitology

CALCIUM

1. Heliyon

CATECHIN

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Activities

Tetrapleura tetraptera has 9 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticonvulsant, Antiinflammatory, CNS-Depressant.

Antioxidant

1. Nutrients
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Heliyon
4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Bioorganic chemistry
2. Heliyon

Anticonvulsant

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antiinflammatory

1. Bioorganic chemistry

CNS-Depressant

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypotensive

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Molluscicide

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Mutagenic

1. Journal of natural products

Conditions

Tetrapleura tetraptera has 15 reported investigations on conditions identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include schistosomiasis, cancer, inflammation, amnesia, anticonvulsant.

Schistosomiasis

1. The Science of the total environment
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Parasitology research
4. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
3. Heliyon

Inflammation

1. Fitoterapia
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Amnesia

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Anticonvulsant

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Convulsions

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Hypertension

1. Heliyon

Infectious disease

1. Bioorganic chemistry

Leprosy

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Malaria

1. Heliyon

Preparations

Tetrapleura tetraptera has 19 reported preparations identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include hydro-alcoholic extracts, Aqueous extracts, Cameroonian medicinal spice extracts, MeOH extract of the fruit, Water-Ethanol Extracts.

Hydro-alcoholic extracts

1. Nutrients
2. Comptes rendus des seances de la Societe de biologie et de ses filiales

Aqueous extracts

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Cameroonian medicinal spice extracts

1. Nutrients

Meoh extract of the fruit

1. Journal of natural products

Water-ethanol extracts

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Decoctions

1. Bioorganic chemistry

Dichloromethane-methanol (1:1) extract of the fruits

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. Metabolites

Fresh oil

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fruits

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology