Cat's Whiskers

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cat's Whiskers
• Cat's-whiskers
• Coastal Tinderwood
• Resinleaf
• Smooth Tinderwood
• Stinkleaf
• Stinkleaf-Tree
• Weeping Tree
• White Cat's Whiskers

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Clerodendrum glabrum var. vagum
• Siphonanthus glaber
• Siphonanthus glaber var. incarnatus
• Clerodendrum somalense
• Clerodendrum minutiflorum
• Clerodendrum ovale
• Clerodendrum rehmannii
• Clerodendrum eriophylloides
• Clerodendrum eriophyllum
• Clerodendrum glabratum
• Clerodendrum glabrum
• Clerodendrum glabrum var. angustifolium
• Clerodendrum bakhuizenii
• Clerodendrum capense
• Clerodendrum capense
• Premna suaveolens
• Clerodendrum glabrum var. pubescens
• Siphonanthus glaber var. vaga
• Volkameria eriophylla
• Clerodendrum glabrum var. minutiflorum
• Clerodendrum glabrum var. ovale

Regional and Traditional Names

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, it is situated in the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Ultimately, its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Volkameria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is specifically noted in Sierra Leone. Moving toward the center of the continent, it can be found within the Democratic Republic of the Congo in West-Central Tropical Africa. Its range extends into Northeast Tropical Africa, where it is located in Somalia. Finally, the species is also widely distributed across East Tropical Africa, specifically within Kenya and Tanzania.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Volkameria glabra is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1600 m AMSL. It is primarily found inhabiting coastal bushland and various types of bush environments, where it adapts to the specific moisture and light conditions present in these thickets. This wide elevational range allows the species to occupy multiple ecological niches, from lowland coastal zones to more temperate upland terrains.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

coastalbushland,bush

Life history

The life history of Volkameria glabra is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a long-term presence in its natural habitat. Regarding its structural growth and survival strategy, the plant is classified as a phanerophyte, as it maintains its stem tissue well above the ground level to protect its buds. Depending on the specific ecological context and developmental stage, its life form may also be categorized within the broader spectrum of nanophanerophytes, reflecting its complex architectural strategy for managing seasonal environmental changes.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Volkameria glabra is characterized by a woody growth form that can manifest as both a shrub and a tree. This species is a self-supporting, terrestrial plant that does not function as a climber, epiphyte, or parasite, maintaining an independent lifestyle. Its stature is highly variable, with plant heights ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 9 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 6.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

9 m

Plant height mean:

6.5 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Volkameria glabra is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the Calvin cycle to fix carbon dioxide during the light-independent reactions. In terms of nutrient cycling and symbiotic relationships, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized root nodules required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation with diazotrophic bacteria.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Volkameria glabra is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily relying on insect vectors to facilitate the transfer of pollen. This reliance on biological agents ensures the genetic exchange necessary for the species' survival within its ecosystem. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces seeds with a highly uniform mass; the seed mass is consistently recorded at 0.07627 g, with the mean, minimum, and maximum values all converging at this specific measurement. This consistency in seed size suggests a specialized reproductive strategy tailored to specific dispersal requirements and nutritional provisioning for the developing embryo.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.07627 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Volkameria glabra has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Root

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Natural product communications

Chemicals

Volkameria glabra has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ferruginol, ROYLEANONE.

Ferruginol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

ROYLEANONE

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Volkameria glabra has 8 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antimalarial, Antioxidant.

Antibacterial

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Natural product communications

Anticancer

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. Natural product communications

Antimalarial

1. Natural product communications

Antioxidant

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antiparasitic

1. Natural product communications

Antiplasmodial

1. Natural product communications

Cytotoxic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Preparations