Tinospora bakis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cocculus bakis
• Chasmanthera bakis

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Ranunculales and is a member of the family Menispermaceae. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Tinospora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Tinospora bakis, exhibits a specific distribution across the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented in several countries, including Benin and Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species can be found spreading through the territories of Mali and Mauritania. It also maintains a significant presence within the borders of Nigeria. Collectively, these locations define its primary geographical range within the West African landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Tinospora bakis is characterized by its perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth patterns and survival strategies, it exhibits a life form classified as a geophyte, a trait often associated with the ability to survive unfavorable environmental conditions through underground storage organs. Furthermore, it is categorized under the life form of a cryptophyte, indicating that its perennating buds are protected below the soil surface or within specialized structures, ensuring its long-term establishment within its ecological niche.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tinospora bakis is characterized by its growth habit as a large, woody liana that functions as an obligatory climber. It is an independent plant that does not act as a parasite, maintaining a terrestrial lifestyle rather than growing as an epiphyte. This climbing woody vine can reach a significant plant height, with an average measurement of approximately 10 m.

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tinospora bakis is characterized by a complex metabolic framework that supports its growth in diverse ecological niches, though it does not exhibit the capacity to function as a nitrogen fixer. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant follows a standard non-symbiotic nitrogen uptake process, meaning it lacks the specialized root nodules or symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria required for atmospheric nitrogen fixation; thus, its nitrogen fixer status is no. Its physiological processes are centered on efficient photosynthesis and the synthesis of diverse secondary metabolites, which are vital for its survival and biological activity. The plant's metabolic pathways are optimized for resource management, relying on the assimilation of soil-bound nitrates and ammonium rather than biological nitrogen fixation to support its cellular functions and structural development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tinospora bakis is characterized by specific quantitative parameters regarding its seed production, which serve as critical indicators of its reproductive potential. Based on empirical data, the seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly uniform mass, showing no variance across the measured samples. The seed mass is recorded at a consistent value, with a mean, maximum, and minimum all equal to 0.12046 g. This lack of deviation in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive mechanism during the maturation process, ensuring that each individual seed maintains a precise weight of approximately 0.12046 g to facilitate successful germination and seedling establishment.

Seed mass mean:

0.12046 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tinospora bakis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Dakar medical

Activities

Tinospora bakis has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Choleretic.

Choleretic

1. Dakar medical

Preparations

Tinospora bakis has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Tinospora bakis extract, extract, extracts.

Tinospora bakis extract

1. Dakar medical

Extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology