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Useful Tropical Plants

Guarea gomma

Pulle

Meliaceae

+ Synonyms

Guarea fissicalyx Harms

Common Name:

Guarea gomma
Botanical specimens of the leaves
Photograph by: S. Tello
Creative Commons License

General Information

Guarea gomma is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall[
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. The wood is probably traded and the tree is probably planted to provide shade in coffee plantations.

Known Hazards

The roots are said to be toxic[
558
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 30
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University, Boston.
Year
1984 - 1986
ISBN
 
Description
A series of botanical articles. It contains an article on the medicinal and toxic plants of the northwest Amazon. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Surinam.

Habitat

Upland and montane rain 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
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is boiled and the water drunk as a treatment for colds and for coughing[
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
]. A decoction of the trunk bark is used as a vomititve for treating liver problems[
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
].

The root bark contains a bitter element that is used in small quantities as an emetic and in larger doses as an abortifacient[
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
].

The leaves are considered to be very astringent and are employed in the form of a tea to arrest diarrhoea[
558
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 30
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University, Boston.
Year
1984 - 1986
ISBN
 
Description
A series of botanical articles. It contains an article on the medicinal and toxic plants of the northwest Amazon. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

We do not have any specific information for this plant, but many species in this genus are commonly planted in coffee plantations in order to provide shade[
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
].

Other Uses

We do not have specific information for the wood of this species, but the following is a general description for the wood of this genus:-
The heartwood is pinkish to deep reddish-brown; it is distinct, but not sharply demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain rather straight; luster is rather low; green wood is aromatic but odour and taste are very mild or not distinctive in dry specimens. The heartwood has good resistance to dry-wood termites and is durable in the ground. The wood air dries slowly, but with only a moderate amount of warping and no checking. It saws and machines easily and well in all operations except boring, where there is a tendency to tear and crumble. It is used for making furniture, cabinet work, turnery, interior trim, joinery, ship construction (planking and trim), general carpentry, and decorative and utility veneer and plywood[
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Guarea%20gomma>

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