Spatial and temporal distribution of knowledge on Ritchiea capparoides (Andrews) Britten

Abstract

Background: Ritchiea capparoides is a fast-growing ornamental climbing shrub native to Africa, classified under the Capparaceae family. Despite its importance, it is commonly associated with genera Maerua and Crateva. This bibliometric analysis assesses the spatial and temporal distribution of scientific knowledge concerning these genera, utilizing major academic databases.

Methods: Scientific literature was retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science, accessed indirectly via the Research4Life platform. A total of 410 publications from 1941 to the first quarter of 2024 were processed and analyzed using tools such as Microsoft Excel 2020, ArcMap, Ghephi, and R Studio with the Bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny.

Results: The analysis showed that these genera have been the subject of 391 articles, accounting for 95.37% of all publications, predominantly in English, and have been cited 8,316 times. This equates to an average of 21 citations per publication and approximately one citation every five years. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology emerged as the most productive outlet, whereas the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research had the highest impact based on citation metrics. Collaboration analysis revealed that, of the total, 363 publications involved 1,381 authors in collaborative efforts, though 6.6% of studies were conducted without any collaboration between authors, institutions, or countries. Only 29.4% of the publications featured international collaborations, with the most significant networks centered around Ethiopia, India, and South Africa.

Conclusions: This study highlights the rich knowledge and collaborative importance in advancing research on Ritchiea capparoides, Maerua, and Crateva.

Keywords: Ritchiea capparoides, Bibliometric analysis, Medicinal plants, Collaboration networks