Uraria picta

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Desmodium pictum
• Uraria picta var. paucifoliata
• Doodia picta
• Hedysarum pictum
• Uraria linearis
• Uraria leucantha

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 is organized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is specifically identified by the genus Uraria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the diverse ecosystems of West Tropical Africa. Its distribution includes specific populations located in the nation of Benin. Furthermore, it can be identified growing across the territories of Burkina and Gambia. The species is also documented to inhabit parts of Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends to the coastal regions of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Uraria picta is characterized by its specific niche within savannah habitats, where it thrives under particular environmental conditions. This species is highly specialized regarding its altitudinal requirements, occupying a precise elevational range that is restricted to 900 m AMSL. By maintaining this specific altitude, the plant adapts to the distinct climatic and soil profiles found within these elevated savannah ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

900 m AMSL

Habitat :

savannah

Life history

The life history of Uraria picta is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its biological structure and survival strategy, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form where the majority of the plant's vegetative parts die back at the end of the growing season, leaving only seeds to endure unfavorable conditions. This classification is consistently reflected in its developmental patterns, as it functions as a therophyte across its primary life form designations.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Uraria picta is characterized by its growth form as a woody herb that functions as a self-supporting plant rather than an obligatory vine or liana. It is a terrestrial species that grows independently, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits a variable height, ranging from a minimum of approximately 0.30 meters to a maximum of about 0.91 meters, with a mean height recorded at 2 meters, reflecting its structural development within its habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.914411119 m

Plant height mean:

2 m

Plant height min:

0.304803706 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Uraria picta is characterized by a metabolic framework consistent with most dicotyledonous woody shrubs and vines. It utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism where carbon dioxide is fixed directly into the Calvin cycle through the enzyme RuBisCO, making it well-suited for environments where water availability and temperature fluctuations are moderate. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or actinomycetes required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to meet its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Uraria picta is characterized by the production of small seeds that exhibit specific morphological variations in weight. The seed mass within this species is relatively light, with a measured mean seed mass of 0.003505 g. Throughout the population, there is a discernible range in individual seed weight, spanning from a minimum mass of 0.00271 g to a maximum mass of 0.0043 g. These quantitative traits indicate a degree of variability in the energy investment per seed, which can influence dispersal success and initial seedling vigor during the establishment phase of the plant's life cycle.

Seed mass max:

0.0043 g

Seed mass mean:

0.003505 g

Seed mass min:

0.00271 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Uraria picta has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoid, sterol.

Flavonoid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

sterol

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Uraria picta has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Acaricide.

Acaricide

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology