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Useful Tropical Plants

Cariniana pyriformis

Miers

Lecythidaceae

+ Synonyms

Cariniana clavata Novik

Cariniana exigua Miers

Common Name: Albarco

Cariniana pyriformis
Canopy. The author was not totally sure of this identification.
Photograph by: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo
Creative Commons License

General Information

Albarco is a large tree growing up to 38 metres tall, with some specimens reaching heights of over 50 metres[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
]. It can produce a clear bole from 15 - 24 metres tall[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of fibre, it is also exploited commercially for its high quality timber which is exported[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
].
A relatively wide ranging species of primary forest, but extensive exploitation has greatly reduced populations. It is now threatened at a national level in Colombia and is causing some concern in Venezuela. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Northern S. America - Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana.

Habitat

Common on lower slopes and well-watered valleys, and does not extend into flood plains except occasionally in better drained areas[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
]. Occurs at elevations of up to 600 metres[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusNear Threatened
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitTree
Height30.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 30°c, but can tolerate 18 - 34°c[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,500 - 3,500mm, but tolerates 2,000 - 4,000mm[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Succeeds in full sun or partial shade[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Prefers a medium to heavy, moderately fertile soil[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 7[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Annual wood production potential is 10 - 20 m3/ha[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The bark is made into cordage[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

The heartwood is pinkish brown or reddish; it is usually not clearly demarcated from the 5 - 7cm wide band of paler-coloured sapwood. The texture is rather fine; the grain straight to slightly interlocked, and sometimes attractively figured; lustre medium to high. The wood is moderately hard; moderately heavy; tough; strong; durable, being resistant to termites, dry wood and marine borers, and moderately resistant to fungi. It seasons somewhat slowly with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It is fairly difficult to work because of its silica content - it is reported to dull saws and other tools very quickly so cutters tipped with tungsten carbide and the use of slower feed-speeds are recommended; a filler is required to obtain a lustrous finish; it takes paints satisfactorily; nailing and screwing are good but require pre-boring; gluing is correct. Stock is resilient and quite resistant to shock. It peels and slices well. The wood has a wide range of applications, including for cabinet making and high class furniture, light carpentry, joinery, interior panelling, ship building, flooring and turnery[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
,
848
Title
Tropix 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
Publisher
CIRAD
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
]. It is made into veneer[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

Propagation

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

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