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Useful Tropical Plants

Balsamocarpon brevifolium

Clos

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Caesalpinia brevifolia (Clos) Benth.

Common Name: Algarobilla

No Image.

General Information

Balsamocarpon brevifolium is a spiny shrub that can grow up to 2 metres tall.
The seedpods are harvested commercially as a rich source of tannins. An attractive plant, it can be grown as an ornamental in drier areas[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - central to northern Chile

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitShrub
Height2.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Balsamocarpon brevifolium is native to arid regions in subtropical to tropical regions of Chile, where it can be found at elevations up to 2,00 metrs, usually near the coast. The mean annual precipitation is 100 - 300mm, though in some years there can be no rain at all. The dry season is usually 8 - 12 months long, with most of the rain falling in the cool season. The plant cannot tolerate frost[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The seedpods are a rich source of tannins. They can be used as a urinary astringent - the tannin gallic acid being mainly responsible for this activity[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].

Other Uses

The seedpods yield up to 65% tannins[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
]. They can be used in the preparation of medicines, inks and dyes[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Balsamocarpon+brevifolium>

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