Common Name:

General Information

Erisma uncinatum is an evergreen tree with a large, globose crown; it can grow 7 - 18 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be heavily branched from quite low down, around 40 - 100cm in diameter[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also traded. An ornamental plant, it can be used in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Amazon rainforest, in areas not subject to seasonal inundation, in both dense primary forest and the more open, secondary formations; favouring sloping terrain and hill tops where the soil is clayey or stoney, well-drained and moderately fertile[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[]. Prefers a clayey to stony, well-drained soil of moderate fertility[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is a light pinkish-brown, more or less dark, sometimes with red or purplish shades; it is clearly demarcated from the 4 - 14cm wide band of yellowish-white sapwood. The texture is coarse; the grain straight; lustre is medium; with no distinct taste or aroma. The wood is light to moderately heavy; soft; with moderate mechanical properties; not very durable, being resistant to dry wood borers, moderately resistant to fungi and susceptible to termites. It seasons normally, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It works well with ordinary tools; planes, sands and turns well; finishes well; nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct. The wood is used for internal purposes in construction; interior and exterior panelling and joinery; for making boards in general; window and door frames; boxes and crates; furniture frames; tool handles; toys and plywood etc[, , ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of less than 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 60 days[].

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