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Useful Tropical Plants

Eperua grandiflora

(Aubl.) Benth.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Dimorpha grandiflora Willd.

Eperua kourouensis Benoist

Parivoa grandiflora Aubl.

Common Name:

Eperua grandiflora
Drawing of the leaves, flowers and seedpods
Photograph by: Aublet, F. , Histoire des plantes de la Guiane Franc?oise, vol. 4: t. 303 (1775)
Creative Commons License
Eperua grandiflora Eperua grandiflora

General Information

Eperua grandiflora is an evergreen tree with a light, rounded or oval crown; it can grow 8 - 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole is basally swollen or has low buttresses; it can be unbranched for 12 - 18 metres and 20 - 80cm in diameter[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
,
383
Title
A Monograph of the Genus Eperua.
Publication
Smithsonian Contributions to Botany. No. 28
Author
Cowan. R.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington DC
Year
1975
ISBN
 
Description
Number 28 in the 'Smithsonian Contributions to Botany' series, a very detailed monograph of the genus Eperua. It can be downloaded in PDF format from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use and for its durable timber, which is used locally and also exported.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

383
Title
A Monograph of the Genus Eperua.
Publication
Smithsonian Contributions to Botany. No. 28
Author
Cowan. R.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington DC
Year
1975
ISBN
 
Description
Number 28 in the 'Smithsonian Contributions to Botany' series, a very detailed monograph of the genus Eperua. It can be downloaded in PDF format from the Internet.
,
422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.

Range

S. America - northern Brazil, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Rainforests, often on white sands[
383
Title
A Monograph of the Genus Eperua.
Publication
Smithsonian Contributions to Botany. No. 28
Author
Cowan. R.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington DC
Year
1975
ISBN
 
Description
Number 28 in the 'Smithsonian Contributions to Botany' series, a very detailed monograph of the genus Eperua. It can be downloaded in PDF format from the Internet.
]. Riverine forests[
422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height22.00 m
Growth RateFast
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Found in the wild in acid, white sandy soils[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
].
The trees make rather rapid growth, but develop heart rots at a fairly early age[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the inner bark is used to relieve toothache[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

Other Uses

A process patented in England isolates the resin from the wood, this resin is then reacted with aldehydes in situ to form thermoplastic or thermosetting resins, giving a cheap molding powder. This promises the development of a wet-forming or dry-forming process for making fibreboard from the wood[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
].

The heartwood is red or reddish-purple to dark brown, with lighter veins; it is clearly demarcated from the 2 - 6cm wide band of dirty white or gray coloured, resin-streaked sapwood. The grain is uniformly straight; the texture medium to coarse; not lustrous, although quarter-sawn lumber shows a pleasing fleck as a result of resinous deposits; it is tasteless and althoughthere is an unpleasant odour when green, the seasoned wood is either odourless or has a slight odour described as rancid, sour, or like creosote by different observers. The wood is hard, heavy, stiff, strong; durable to very durable in the soil, being resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. Although it is hard, the wood works easily with machine and hand tools except that gum collects on the cutting edges of the tools. It polishes reasonably well after filling; stains readily with both oil and spirit stains; turns well; it usually splits straight and clean; but does not take nails satisfactorily. The wood is exceptionally well suited for use as transmission poles, flagpoles, and posts. Its good strength and durability qualify the timber for railway ties, shoring, bridge timbers, and mine timbers. In building construction it is used for foundations, sills, joists, framing, roofing, siding, and veranda posts. The high resin content of the wood makes it an excellent flooring material in chemical factories, mills, and warehouses[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
,
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.
].
The wood has a relatively high calorific value as fuel wood or charcoal, oven dry heartwood having a value of 9,260 BTU. And sapwood 8,980 BTU. As compared to 12,000 BTU. For coal. Charcoal made from the wood has a calorific value of 13,200 to 13,800 BTU. (7,300 calories) per pound[
378
Title
Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean
Publication
USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207
Author
Longwood.F.R.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC.
Year
1962
ISBN
 
Description
Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Eperua+grandiflora>

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