Ethiopian-pepper

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Ethiopian-pepper
• negro-pepper
• spicetree
• Grains of Selim
• Ethiopian pepper

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Habzelia aethiopica
• Annona aethiopica
• Unona aethiopica
• Xylopia dekeyzeriana
• Xylopia eminii
• Xylopia gilletii
• Uvaria aethiopica
• Xylopicrum aethiopicum
• Uvaria eminii

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 within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Magnoliales, it falls into the family Annonaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Xylopia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across various regions of West Tropical Africa. Specifically, it can be found growing in the country of Benin. Its presence is also documented within the borders of Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species inhabits parts of Gambia and Ghana. Finally, the geographical range extends to the nation of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Xylopia aethiopica is fundamentally defined by its preference for life within forest ecosystems, where it thrives under the protective canopy of diverse woodland environments. As a component of these forest structures, the species occupies niches characterized by varying levels of shade and moisture, often favoring moist, well-drained soils typical of tropical and subtropical forest floors. Its presence in these habitats suggests a reliance on the stable microclimates provided by dense vegetation, which regulates temperature fluctuations and maintains the humidity necessary for its growth and reproductive cycles. Within these forest communities, Xylopia aethiopica interacts closely with the surrounding flora and fauna, participating in complex nutrient cycling processes and relying on the specific ecological conditions of the forest interior to sustain its biological functions.

Habitat :

in forest

Life history

The life history of Xylopia aethiopica is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring a long-lasting presence within its natural ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural trait that defines its growth habit and survival strategy. Furthermore, the species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous photosynthetic activity and structural stability across various seasons.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Xylopia aethiopica is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, typically functioning as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or vine. It is an independent organism that does not exhibit parasitic behavior and is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, lacking any epiphytic tendencies. The plant reaches a significant stature, with an average height of approximately 15.67 meters and a maximum recorded height of up to 18.29 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

18.28822238 m

Plant height mean:

15.6666666666667 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Xylopia aethiopica 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 non-nitrogen-fixing species, the plant does not possess a symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms; instead, it relies entirely on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to meet its nutritional requirements for amino acid and protein synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Xylopia aethiopica is characterized by a highly flexible phenological cycle, as both its flowering and fruiting periods are variable and can occur across any month of the year, from January through December. The plant produces fleshy fruits, which serve as the primary vessel for its offspring. These fruits facilitate a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning the seeds are distributed via animals. The seeds themselves are consistent in size, maintaining a mean, minimum, and maximum volume of 140 mm³.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

variable

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruiting time :

variable

Seed volume max:

140 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Xylopia aethiopica has 5 reported plant parts identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf, root, stem.

Fruit

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. In silico pharmacology

Seed

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. JBRA assisted reproduction

Leaf

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. Acta parasitologica

Root

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. In silico pharmacology

Stem

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Xylopia aethiopica has 30 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Xylopic acid, Flavonoids, Tannins, Crebanine, DPPH.

Xylopic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
3. Lloydia

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Acta parasitologica

Tannins

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Acta parasitologica

Crebanine

1. Dr. Duke

DPPH

1. Heliyon

EO

1. Dr. Duke

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Isotetrandrine

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Lanuginosine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Xylopia aethiopica has 139 reported activities identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrients
3. Acta biologica Hungarica
4. Environmental toxicology

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cell division
3. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Recent advances in anti-infective drug discovery

Antimicrobial

1. Heliyon
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AHH-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Stimulant

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Xylopia aethiopica has 33 reported investigations on conditions identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, leukemia, oxidative stress, Bacillus subtilis, Cancer.

Cancer

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Environmental toxicology

Leukemia

1. Cell division
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Oxidative stress

1. Acta biologica Hungarica
2. Environmental science and pollution research international

Bacillus subtilis

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Cancer

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Candida albicans

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Hepg2 cells

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Phytochemistry

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Staphylococcus aureus

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Preparations

Xylopia aethiopica has 26 reported preparations identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, extracts, Extracts, Cameroonian medicinal spice extracts, Erunje (Fruit).

Essential oils

1. Journal of food science
2. Fitoterapia
3. Phytochemistry

Extracts

1. Metabolites
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Food & function

Extracts

1. Heliyon
2. Biochemistry research international

Cameroonian medicinal spice extracts

1. Nutrients

Erunje (fruit)

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extract

1. JBRA assisted reproduction

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Seeds and fruits

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Xa-he fractions

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Xylopia aethiopica extract

1. JBRA assisted reproduction