rara

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian three-leaf vitex
• Indian wild pepper
• Indian-privet
• hand-of-Mary
• simple-leaf chastetree
• Indian Three-leaf Vitax
• The Hand of Mary
• simple-leaf chaste-tree
• simpleleaf chastetree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vitex agnus-castus var. trifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Vitex trifolia, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement is completed within the genus Vitex.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is noted in Tunisia. Moving toward the northeast, it can be found within the borders of Somalia. The species is also widely distributed throughout East Tropical Africa, specifically in Kenya and Tanzania. Finally, its range extends into South Tropical Africa, where it is located in Mozambique.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vitex trifolia is characterized by its specialized adaptation to challenging environmental conditions, primarily thriving within dry forest ecosystems and halophytic vegetation. As a plant capable of navigating saline-rich landscapes, it occupies niches where salt tolerance is a critical survival mechanism, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into coastal and arid scrubland communities. Its presence in dry forests indicates a resilience to seasonal moisture fluctuations and a capacity to endure high solar radiation and limited water availability. By occupying these specific habitats, the species plays a functional role in the stability of coastal and xeric plant communities, bridging the gap between terrestrial forest structures and salt-tolerant maritime flora.

Habitat :

dry forest, halophytic vegetation

Genetics

The genetics of Vitex trifolia are characterized by specific chromosomal configurations that define its cytogenetic profile. The species exhibits a chromosome number typically ranging between 32 and 34, reflecting a degree of numerical variation within its genome. Furthermore, the plant is identified as being diploid, with a ploidy level of 2, which indicates a standard chromosomal arrangement consisting of two sets of chromosomes.

Chromosome number :

32,34

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Vitex trifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural life form, it is classified as a phanerophyte, typically growing as a woody shrub, though it can also exhibit characteristics of a nanophanerophyte depending on its environmental context and specific growth habit. The plant follows a deciduous growth pattern, shedding its foliage periodically as part of its seasonal cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vitex trifolia is characterized by its growth as a woody shrub, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. This terrestrial plant maintains an independent lifestyle, functioning as a non-parasitic organism. In terms of stature, it reaches a minimum height of 0.6 m, with an average height of approximately 3 m, though it can attain a maximum height of up to 6.5 m. While it possesses a woody composition, its shoot orientation is described as prostrate.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

6.5 m

Plant height mean:

3 m

Plant height min:

0.6 m

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vitex trifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation efficiency. The vegetative structure is defined by its leaf morphology, where individual leaves typically measure between 2 cm and 8 cm in length, with widths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 4.5 cm. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interaction, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on available soil nitrogen rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to support its physiological development and growth.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

4.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vitex trifolia is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects. The flowers exhibit a distinctive violet color, which serves as a visual cue for these pollinators. These flowers are organized into inflorescences that typically range in length from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.07 m. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruit classified as a drupe, which is indehiscent, meaning it does not split open at maturity to release its contents. The resulting seeds are relatively small, with a mean seed mass of 0.0995 g. For the dissemination of offspring, the species utilizes a hydrochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on water to transport its seeds to new locations.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

violet

Fruit type :

drupe

Inflorescence length max:

0.07 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.03 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.0995 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vitex trifolia has 5 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, flower, root, seed.

Leaf

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
5. Revista de biologia tropical

Fruit

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Planta medica

Flower

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Root

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Vitex trifolia has 41 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Agnuside, vitexilactone, Artemetin, Casticin, Vitexicarpin.

Agnuside

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

vitexilactone

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
3. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Artemetin

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
2. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Casticin

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Vitexicarpin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

10-O-Vanilloylaucubin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

6'-p-hydroxy benzoyl mussaenosidic acid

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Activities

Vitex trifolia has 9 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Antiatherosclerotic, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Heliyon
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Antimicrobial

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Hepatoprotective

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Antiatherosclerotic

1. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Anticancer

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antispasmodic

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antiviral

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Hypotensive

1. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Medicinal Uses

Vitex trifolia has 22 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, Skin aging, anesthesia, anti-malarial.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations