Casearia nigrescens
Tul.
Salicaceae
Casearia amplissima Tul.
Casearia elliptica Tul.
Casearia lucida Tul.
Casearia parvifolia Tul.
Casearia tulasneana (Baill.) Warb.
Guidonia amplissima (Tul.) Baill.
Guidonia elliptica (Tul.) Baill.
Guidonia lucida (Tul.) Baill.
Guidonia nigrescens (Tul.) Baill.
Guidonia tulasneana Baill.
Samyda lucida Hils. & Bojer
Common Name:
General Information
Casearia nigrescens is a large, evergreen shrub or tree growing up to 15 metres tall with a bole that can be unbranched for 6 - 8 metres and up to 25cm in diameter[
455- Title
- Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
- Publication
-
- Author
- Humbert H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
- Year
- 1946 - 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
,
1717- Title
- Magagascar; Les Bois de la Forêt D'Analamazaotra
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lecomte H.
- Publisher
-
Paris : A. Challamel
- Year
- 1922
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The wood is harvested from the wild for local use.
Casearia nigrescens is endemic to Madagascar, where it is widespread, especially in the east and north of the country. Its habitat is declining as a result of human activities, but this does not significantly threaten the species at present since it is widespread with a number of subpopulations occurring in protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
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
The fruit is a capsute containing several seeds. Although the capsule of some species (and possibly also the seeds contained therein) is somewhat toxic, the fleshy aril surrounding the seeds is a different matter and in some species (see information below on edibility to see if this is one of them) is often eaten and is considered to be perfectly wholesome[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
,
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Botanical References
455- Title
- Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
- Publication
-
- Author
- Humbert H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
- Year
- 1946 - 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
Range
Africa - Madagascar.
Habitat
Dry to subarid forest and also in subhumid evergreen forest[
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.
]. Forests at elevations up to 1,600 metres[
455- Title
- Flore de Madagascar et des Comores
- Publication
-
- Author
- Humbert H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris
- Year
- 1946 - 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The fruit is a capsule containing a number of seeds that are surrounded by a fleshy aril[
1715- Title
- O Gênero Casearia Jacq. No Brasil
- Publication
- Rev. Biol. Neotrop. 13(1): 69-249. 2016
- Author
- Marquete R. & Mansana V.F.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. We have no specific reports of edibility for this species, but the aril of several species in this genus are known to be edible and, unless it is very bitter, in an emergency the aril of this species is likely to supply a tiny bit of nutriment[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The grey-white wood is fine-grained. Of mediocre quality, it is used locally for making drums[
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.
,
1717- Title
- Magagascar; Les Bois de la Forêt D'Analamazaotra
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lecomte H.
- Publisher
-
Paris : A. Challamel
- Year
- 1922
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Propagation
The seed of species in this genus often has a short period of viability and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe. The seed is collected when the fruits start to open - leave them in the sun to open completely to release the seed, then rinse the seed in water to remove the arils[
]. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed, only just covering the seed, and keep moist. Germination rates vary, but can usually be expected to be low, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 30 days[
419- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 85-86714-17-8
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
]. When the seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out a few months later[
419- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 85-86714-17-8
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Cuttings.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
