Sweet viburnum

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sweet viburnum

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Microtinus odoratissimus

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Dipsacales, it is a member of the family Viburnaceae. It is further identified by its specific genus, Viburnum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across several key regions within China. It can be found throughout China South-Central and the northern reaches of China North-Central. Additionally, its habitat extends to the tropical island of Hainan and the lush landscapes of China Southeast. Beyond the mainland, the species is also documented in Eastern Asia, specifically within Taiwan. These diverse locations highlight the wide regional presence of Viburnum odoratissimum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Viburnum odoratissimum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its habitat. Throughout its developmental stages, it maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage year-round rather than shedding it during colder or drier periods. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and constant verdant foliage ensures continuous vegetative presence, supporting its role within its ecological niche across successive years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Viburnum odoratissimum is characterized by a woody growth form that allows it to function as both a shrub and a tree, reaching an average plant height of approximately 5 m. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, maintaining an independent existence without acting as a parasite. Structurally, the plant is self-supporting, meaning it does not exhibit climbing habits such as a liana or vine, but instead relies on its robust, woody stems to maintain its upright stature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Viburnum odoratisimum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. As a C3 plant, it relies on the enzyme RuBisCO to catalyze the initial carboxylation step, making it highly efficient in temperate environments where moisture is sufficient but potentially susceptible to photorespiration under intense heat or drought stress. Furthermore, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium or Frankia, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms; instead, it must rely on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate to satisfy its nutritional requirements for amino acid and protein synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Viburnum odoratissimum is characterized by the production of fleshy fruits, which facilitates its primary dispersal syndrome as zoochorous, although it may also exhibit unspecialized patterns of anemochorous, autochorous, or hydrochorous dispersal. The seeds contained within these fleshy fruits are remarkably uniform in size, maintaining a consistent seed volume with both a minimum and maximum, as well as a mean, value of 62 mm³. In terms of mass, the seeds exhibit slight variability, ranging from a minimum of 0.01563 g to a maximum of 0.0261 g, with an average seed mass calculated at 0.020865 g.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

0.0261 g

Seed mass mean:

0.020865 g

Seed mass min:

0.01563 g

Seed volume max:

62 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Viburnum odoratissimum has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Journal of natural products

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Viburnum odoratissimum has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5-epi-vibsanin G, Aldovibsanin B, Aldovibsanin C, Flavonoids, Lignans.

5-epi-vibsanin G

1. Journal of natural products

Aldovibsanin B

1. Journal of natural products

Aldovibsanin C

1. Journal of natural products

Flavonoids

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Lignans

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Neovibsanin A

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Sesquiterpenes

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Triterpenes

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Vibsanin C

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Vibsanin M

1. Journal of natural products

Preparations

Viburnum odoratissimum has 2 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone extract, methanolic extract of the leaves and flowers.

Acetone extract

1. Journal of natural products

Methanolic extract of the leaves and flowers

1. Journal of natural products