Cape yellowwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cape yellowwood
• Indian ivy-rue

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Fagara rhetsa
• Fagara parviflora
• Fagara budrunga
• Zanthoxylum limonella
• Zanthoxylum budrunga
• Zanthoxylum parviflorum
• Tipalia limonella
• Zanthoxylum budrunga var. rhetsa

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Zanthoxylum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several key regions of the Indian Subcontinent. It can be found growing within the diverse landscapes of India and its neighboring nation, Bangladesh. Additionally, the species is documented in the specific state of Assam. Its presence extends further into the rugged terrain of the East Himalaya. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant includes the island nation of Sri Lanka.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Zanthoxylum rhetsa is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its life cycle in a single year. As a deciduous plant, it undergoes a seasonal physiological change where it sheds its leaves annually, typically in response to environmental shifts or colder temperatures, before entering a period of dormancy. This cycle of growth and leaf senescence allows the plant to regulate its resources and adapt to its specific habitat over many years.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Zanthoxylum rhetsa is characterized by its stature as a woody tree, exhibiting a self-supporting growth form that does not rely on climbing structures. It is a terrestrial plant that grows independently, without behaving as a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant's height is significant, with a developmental range spanning from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 20 meters, though it reaches a mean height of approximately 30 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height mean:

30 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Zanthoxylum rhetsa is characterized by its specific metabolic and nutrient-acquisition strategies. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it fixes carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme Rubisco, which is typical for most woody dicotyledonous species in temperate to subtropical environments. Furthermore, it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium ions from the soil through its root system rather than forming symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Zanthoxylum rhetsa is characterized by a sexual reproductive strategy defined by a dioecious system, meaning individual plants are either male or female. The process relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects as the primary agents for pollen transfer. This insect-mediated pollination is a key component of its reproductive cycle, facilitating the movement of genetic material between separate individuals. Furthermore, the plant exhibits an absence of self-fertilization, a trait that reinforces its reliance on cross-pollination via insect vectors to ensure genetic diversity within the population.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

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

Fruit

1. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

Leaf

1. Fitoterapia

Root

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Seed

1. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

Stem

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Chemicals

Zanthoxylum rhetsa has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (+)-Sabinene, Dihydrochelerythrine, LIMONENE, QUINAZOLINE-6-CARBOXYLIC ACID, Terpinen-4-ol.

(+)-Sabinene

1. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

Dihydrochelerythrine

1. Archives of pharmacal research

LIMONENE

1. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

QUINAZOLINE-6-CARBOXYLIC ACID

1. Natural product communications

Terpinen-4-ol

1. Journal of advanced pharmaceutical technology & research

caffeic acid

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Activities

Zanthoxylum rhetsa has 3 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antifungal, Repellent.

Antibacterial

1. Natural product communications
2. Archives of pharmacal research

Antifungal

1. Natural product communications

Repellent

1. The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health

Conditions

Zanthoxylum rhetsa has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative damage.

Oxidative damage

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Preparations

Zanthoxylum rhetsa has 11 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include chloroform extract of the barks, chloroform extract of the leaves, herbal shampoo, hydrophilic extracts, methanol extract of the barks.

Chloroform extract of the barks

1. Fitoterapia

Chloroform extract of the leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Herbal shampoo

1. Tropical biomedicine

Hydrophilic extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Methanol extract of the barks

1. Fitoterapia

Methanol extract of the leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Petroleum ether extract of the barks

1. Fitoterapia

Petroleum ether extract of the leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Plant extract

1. Natural product communications

Roots

1. Archives of pharmacal research