Portia tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian tuliptree
• Pacific rosewood
• Polynesian rosewood
• Seychelles rosewood
• bendytree
• milo
• porlia-tree
• portia-tree
• tuliptree
• umbrella-tree
• Popnut
• Rosewood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hibiscus litoreus
• Hibiscus baccifer
• Thespesia macrophylla
• Hibiscus blumei
• Hibiscus populneus
• Bupariti populnea
• Thespesia populnea var. bynoeana
• Thespesia populnea var. rheedei
• Thespesia populnea var. macrocarpa
• Malvaviscus populneus
• Bupariti altissima
• Thespesia altissima

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Thespesia populnea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Thespesia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct tropical and subtropical regions. In the Atlantic, it can be found within the Macaronesia region, specifically on the islands of Cape Verde. Its presence extends significantly into West Tropical Africa, where it inhabits various landscapes. Within this African zone, the species is documented in countries such as Benin, Burkina, and Gambia. Furthermore, its range continues through the coastal and inland areas of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Thespesia populnea is characterized by its ability to thrive in specialized environments, most notably within halophytic vegetation where it demonstrates significant salt tolerance. This species occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, distributed from sea level up to an elevation of 1000 m AMSL. By inhabiting these coastal and low-lying saline regions, the plant plays a vital role in the ecological stability of maritime and brackish ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

halophytic vegetation

Genetics

The genetics of Thespesia populnea are characterized by a degree of chromosomal variability and specific ploidy levels. Research indicates that the species exhibits fluctuating chromosome numbers, specifically recorded at 24, 26, and 28, which suggests potential evolutionary mechanisms such as aneuploidy or chromosomal rearrangements within different populations. Despite this variation in the total number of chromosomes, the plant is identified as being at a diploid ploidy level, denoted by a ploidy value of 2.

Chromosome number :

24, 26, 28

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Thespesia populnea is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over many years. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that it retains its foliage and continues its physiological processes across different seasons rather than shedding its leaves annually.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Thespesia populnea is characterized by a woody growth form that primarily manifests as a tree, though it can also exhibit shrub-like qualities. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, meaning it is not a parasite or an epiphyte. As a self-supporting species, it does not require climbing structures or hosts to maintain its stature. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with a height ranging from a minimum of 5 m to a maximum of 15 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 8.561 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

8.561 m

Plant height min:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Thespesia populnea is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and carbon fixation processes. Its foliage displays significant morphological variation, with leaf lengths typically averaging 12.5 cm, though they can range from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 30 cm. The leaf width also shows considerable diversity, maintaining a mean of 7.75 cm with a minimum width of 4 cm and reaching a maximum of 15 cm. Structurally, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating a standard leaf tissue composition rather than specialized water-storage adaptations. Furthermore, Thespesia populnea does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen sources rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

30 cm

Leaf length mean:

12.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

15 cm

Leaf width mean:

7.75 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Thesipesia populnea is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily involving birds as key pollinators. The plant produces flowers featuring a distinct red color to attract these agents. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fruit classified as a capsule, which is a dehiscent type. These fruits vary in size, with a length ranging from 1.5 cm to a maximum of 2 cm, and a width spanning from 3 cm to 4.5 cm. Within these capsules, the seeds exhibit diverse physical properties; they have a length between 8 mm and 15 mm and a seed mass that ranges from a minimum of 0.0286 g to a maximum of 0.1581 g, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.1520975 g. The dispersal of the species is achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed by water, a strategy consistent across its dispersal mechanisms.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

red

Fruit length max:

2 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

4.5 cm

Fruit width min:

3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

bird

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

15 mm

Seed length min:

8 mm

Seed mass max:

0.1581 g

Seed mass mean:

0.1520975 g

Seed mass min:

0.0286 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Thespesia populnea has 5 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, flower, seed, stem.

Fruit

1. Fitoterapia
2. Pharmacognosy research

Leaf

1. Journal of food biochemistry
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology

Flower

1. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Stem

1. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology

Chemicals

Thespesia populnea has 56 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, gossypol, quercetin, BETA-SITOSTEROL, Gossypetin.

Flavonoids

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Tropical biomedicine
3. Pharmacognosy research

gossypol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammation
3. Pharmacognosy research

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Pharmacognosy research

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Gossypetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy research

Kaempferol 7-glucoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy research

RUTIN

1. Journal of food biochemistry
2. In silico pharmacology

Tannins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Tropical biomedicine

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy research

(+)-Gossypol

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Thespesia populnea has 263 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Hepatoprotective, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antifertility.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Journal of natural products

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antifertility

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Inflammation

Antimicrobial

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Ancient science of life

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products

Medicinal Uses

Thespesia populnea has 22 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, amyloid plaques.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations