Common Name:

General Information

Diphysa carthagenensis is a shrub or a tree with an irregular crown; it can grow up to 12 metres tall. The bole is usually short and tortuous[, ].
The tree produces a wood that is very popular locally, and is commonly harvested from the wild. The tree is also the source of a dye and is grown as a hedge and to provide shade in coffee and cacao plantations.
This taxon has a large geographical distribution, it has been described as common and is not considered to be threatened or in decline at present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to Mexico..

Habitat

Low forest or thickets, sometimes on uplands, but usually at elevations below 300 metres[]. Found sparingly on the borders of savannahs in Panama[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	8.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Yellow flowers becomes mucilaginous when steamed and are added to beans or tortilla

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Green sticks of this wood, set in the ground, take root readily, and the tree is often planted in this way to grow into live posts for garden fences[].
The tree has also been reported as being used locally as a shade tree in cacao and coffee plantations[].

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the wood[].

The heartwood is a light, greenish-yellow; the thin band of sapwood nearly white. The wood is close-grained, heavy, hard, very strong, very durable. It takes a high polish. The wood is very popular locally, and is used almost to the exclusion of all other woods for the bases of the main stays that support the walls in the native 'adobe' or 'bahareque' buildings. The part of the log that is placed in contact with the soil is left with the bark on, the portion above the ground is squared. These bases are used again and again, even after having been in the ground for many years.
The wood is also used locally for making 'macanas' or native plowing sticks. The tool handles of the carpenters and many small articles requiring a very hard wood are made of this species[].

Propagation

Seed -

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Captcha: if i have 3 bananas, and i eat them all, how many bananas did i just eat?