African morningvine

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African morningvine
• Miniature Morning Glory
• Narrow-leaved Merremia
• Narrowleaf Merremia

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Merremia tridentata
• Convolvulus tridentatus
• Evolvulus tridentatus
• Ipomoea tridentata

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Xenostegia tridentata, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified within the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling under the order Solanales. Finally, it is a member of the family Convolvulaceae and the genus Xenostegia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Xenostegia tridentata, exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several nations in West Tropical Africa. It can be found growing within the borders of Benin, contributing to the region's floral diversity. The species is also documented in Burkina, where it inhabits various local environments. Furthermore, its presence extends to the coastal and inland areas of Gambia and Ghana. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant includes the country of Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Xenostegia tridentata is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level at 10 m AMSL up to an elevation of 1650 m AMSL. This species thrives in diverse landscape settings, primarily occupying grasslands and wooded grasslands. It exhibits a preference for specific substrates, frequently colonizing sandy soils and rocky terrain, and is notably found within the specialized ecological niche of Commiphora-Markhamia scrub. Additionally, its habitat extends to sandy coastal environments, demonstrating adaptability to both inland scrublands and maritime-influenced sandy locations.

Elevational range max:

1650 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

10 m AMSL

Habitat :

grassland and wooded grassland, often on sandy soil, rocky places in Commiphora-Markhamia scrub, sandy places near coast

Life history

The life history of Xenosteugia tridentata is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its life cycle within a single year. In terms of its morphological development and survival strategy, the species functions as a therophyte, meaning it completes its seasonal development using ephemeral structures that typically die back, leaving behind seeds or specialized survival organs to endure unfavorable conditions. This life form is consistently identified across its botanical profiles, categorized specifically as a therophyte in both its primary and secondary life form classifications.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Xenostegia tridentata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, specifically functioning as an obligatory climbing vine. This plant is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its physical dimensions, it exhibits a significant variation in stature, with a plant height that ranges from a minimum of 0 m to a maximum of 5 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 2.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

2.5 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Xenostegia tridentata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide during daylight hours. In terms of its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the surrounding soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Xenostegia tridentata is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit specific weight variations within its population. The seed mass of this species is relatively small, with a recorded mean mass of 0.0091 g. Individual seed weights fluctuate within a narrow range, reaching a maximum mass of 0.01031 g and a minimum mass of 0.00789 g. These quantitative traits in seed size play a critical role in the plant's dispersal and establishment strategies within its natural habitat.

Seed mass max:

0.01031 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0091 g

Seed mass min:

0.00789 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Xenostegia tridentata has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid, COSMOSIIN, Cynaroside, Lutein, Luteolin 7-O-glucoside.

3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid

1. PloS one

COSMOSIIN

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Cynaroside

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Lutein

1. PloS one

Luteolin 7-O-glucoside

1. PloS one

Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside

1. PloS one

apigenin

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside

1. PloS one

quercitrin

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Preparations