Common Purple Mallow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Caesarweed
• Congo-jute
• aramina-plant
• bur-mallow
• pipiri
• urena-weed
• Pink Flowered Chinese Burr

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Urena.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution that spans across several regions in Africa and the Atlantic islands. Within the Macaronesia archipelago, its presence is documented in Cape Verde. Moving to the mainland, it is widely distributed across various countries in West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its range includes the nations of Benin, Burkina, and Gambia. Furthermore, the species can also be found growing within the borders of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Urena lobata is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments, ranging from coastal landscapes to high-altitude terrain. It is commonly found inhabiting anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) as well as restinga ecosystems, demonstrating a capacity to thrive in both human-disturbed habitats and specialized coastal vegetation zones. The species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 2500 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range of approximately 1012.5 m AMSL. This wide vertical gradient suggests a high level of ecological plasticity, allowing the plant to persist across varying climatic and topographical conditions.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1012.5 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Restinga

Genetics

The genetics of Urēna lobata are characterized by significant chromosomal variation and complex polyploid tendencies. The species exhibits a diverse range of chromosome numbers, specifically documented at 14, 28, and 56, which suggests a history of genome doubling events. While the baseline diploidy is represented by a ploidy level of 2, the presence of higher multiples indicates that the plant can exist in various polyploid states, likely contributing to its evolutionary adaptability and morphological diversity.

Chromosome number :

14, 28, 56

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Urera lobata is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural strategy and growth habit, the species functions as a therophyte, completing its seasonal developmental stages through a rapid lifecycle that typically relies on seeds to survive unfavorable conditions. This life form indicates a highly efficient reproductive strategy, ensuring that the plant can colonize disturbed areas and maintain its presence within its ecological niche across varying environmental cycles.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Urena lobata is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a shrub. This plant exhibits a terrestrial habitat and exists as an independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte. Its growth habit is described as self-supporting, featuring an erect shoot orientation. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variability in size, with a minimum height of 0.4 m, a mean height of approximately 1.79 m, and the potential to reach a maximum height of up to 5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

1.78571428571429 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Urina lobata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process typical of many non-succulent herbaceous species. Morphologically, the plant exhibits significant variability in leaf dimensions; the leaf length typically averages approximately 5.33 cm, with a minimum recorded at 1.4 cm and reaching a maximum of 12.2 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width shows a broad range, starting from a minimum of 1.7 cm and an average of 5.5 cm, up to a maximum width of 12.7 cm. In terms of water storage and nutrient cycling, the species does not exhibit succulence and lacks the biological capacity for nitrogen fixation, relying instead on existing soil nitrogen levels for its metabolic processes.

Leaf length max:

12.2 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.33333333333333 cm

Leaf length min:

1.4 cm

Leaf width max:

12.7 cm

Leaf width mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1.7 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Urena lobata is characterized by a highly flexible flowering phenology, with flowering periods that are variable throughout the year, potentially spanning from January through December. The plant produces pink-colored flowers that utilize biotic pollination syndromes, specifically relying on insects and ants to facilitate the fertilization process. Following successful pollination, the plant develops small fruits that range in length from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 0.6 cm. The resulting seeds are minute, with a seed length varying between 3.2 mm and 4.3 mm, a width between 1.5 mm and 2.3 mm, and a height ranging from 0.21 mm to 0.26 mm. These seeds possess a mean mass of approximately 0.0152175 g, with individual seed weights fluctuating between a minimum of 0.01076 g and a maximum of 0.01857 g. For dispersal, Urena lobata employs a zoochorous strategy, specifically utilizing epizoochory to spread its seeds via attachment to animals, ensuring the continuation of its lifecycle across different habitats.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flowering time :

variable

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length min:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

ant

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed height max:

0.26 mm

Seed height min:

0.21 mm

Seed length max:

4.3 mm

Seed length min:

3.2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.01857 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0152175 g

Seed mass min:

0.01076 g

Seed width max:

2.3 mm

Seed width min:

1.5 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Urena lobata has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (-)-Trachelogenin, Clematoside S.

(-)-Trachelogenin

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Clematoside S

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Conditions

Urena lobata has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include bone diseases, yeast.

Bone diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Yeast

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Preparations

Urena lobata has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 80% ethanol extract.

80% ethanol extract

1. International journal of molecular sciences