Hevea guianensis
Aubl.
Euphorbiaceae
Caoutchoua elastic J.F.Gmel.
Caoutchoua guianensis (Aubl.) O.F.Cook
Hevea andinensis Preusse-Sperber
Hevea apiculata Spruce ex Baill.
Hevea caucho Posada-Ar.
Hevea collina Huber
Hevea cuneata (Huber) Huber
Hevea elastica (L.f.) H.Karst.
Hevea foxii Huber
Hevea glabrescens Huber
Hevea lutea (Spruce ex Benth.) Müll.Arg.
Hevea marginata Ducke
Hevea nigra Ule
Hevea peruviana Aubl.
Jatropha elastica L.f.
Siphonanthus elasticus Schreb. ex Baill.
Siphonia apiculata Spruce ex Baill.
Siphonia cahuchu Rich. ex Willd.
Siphonia elastic Pers.
Siphonia guianensis (Aubl.) Juss. ex Baill.
Siphonia lutea Spruce ex Benth.
Common Name:
General Information
Hevea guianensis is an evergreen tree that often grows very large, to more than 30 metres tall, and frequently overtops the jungle canopy[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The seeds are an important food source for native people in some parts of the Amazon, though in other areas they are used as a food in times of famine only. Even though its cream-yellow latex yields a rubber of inferior quality, the species is assiduously tapped over a wide area[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
The seeds contain cyanic compounds are poisonous to humans unless treated[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. See notes on edible uses below[
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
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 - Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guyanas.
Habitat
Well-drained upland or on high river-banks which are subject to light flooding for only a short period[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Marsh forest, especially along creeks in rainforest, savannah forest and forested slopes[
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
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 30.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A very variable species[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Edible Uses
Seed - cooked[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Poisonous raw, the seeds are boiled for 24 hours, then the liquid is strained off[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The mass that remains has somewhat the colour and consistency of rice that has been boiled a long time[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The seeds are commonly used by some native people, though other tribes view them only as famine foods when better foods are not available[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Medicinal
The latex obtained from the tree is used to kill parasitic botfly larvae[
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 tree (part not specified) is used to treat infections from the bite of the warble fly[
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 latex is obtained from the tree[
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.
]. Yields a rubber of inferior quality[
587- Title
- Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
