Vandasina retusa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the specific tropical regions of Papuasia. Its natural habitat includes the expansive island of New Guinea. Additionally, the species extends its range into the northern parts of Australia. Specifically, it can be located within the state of Queensland. These two distinct areas define the known geographical distribution of the species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Morphology

The morphology of Vandasina retusa is characterized by its distinct growth habits and structural composition. It functions as a climber, specifically manifesting as a vine or liana, and exhibits an obligatory climbing nature rather than being self-supporting. In terms of its general growth form, the plant is classified as a herb, which is consistent with its non-woody texture and lack of permanent woody tissue.

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Growth form :

herb

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vandasia retusa is characterized by its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism where the initial fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurs through the enzyme RuBisCO to form a three-carbon compound. This metabolic process dictates the plant's gas exchange patterns and water-use efficiency, as it lacks the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. Consequently, the plant's physiological performance is closely tied to its stomatal conductance and transpiration rates, which must be finely regulated to balance the intake of carbon dioxide for biomass production against the risk of excessive water loss through evaporation. This C3 pathway governs the internal carbohydrate synthesis and energy distribution necessary for its various medicinal secondary metabolites.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vandasina retusa is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a highly consistent and uniform mass profile. Based on botanical data, the seed mass for this species shows no variability, with a recorded mean, maximum, and minimum mass all converging at exactly 0.07202 g. This precise uniformity in seed size suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy, ensuring that each individual seed carries a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support early seedling development.

Seed mass mean:

0.07202 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Vandasina retusa has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include genistein, hydroxygenistein.

genistein

1. Dr. Duke

hydroxygenistein

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Vandasina retusa has 72 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Abortifacient, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, Antiaggregant, Antiangiogenic.

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiatherosclerotic

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer (Breast)

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic (Breast)

1. Dr. Duke

Anticlimacteric

1. Dr. Duke

Antiendoccytotic

1. Dr. Duke