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Useful Tropical Plants

Hevea rigidifolia

(Spruce ex Benth.) Müll.Arg.

Euphorbiaceae

+ Synonyms

Siphonia rigidifolia Spruce ex Benth.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Hevea rigidifolia is an evergreen tree with a sparse crown; it can grow up to 18 metres tall[
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. The tree yields a latex that is high in resin and poor in rubber[
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


Range

Northern S. America - northern Brazil, Colombia.

Habitat

Prefers a high, well-drained, sandy or friable soil supporting a light, sparse, caatinga forest[
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.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height15.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the 'Caatinga' dry forest region of northeast Brazil. The climate is hot and dry, there are usually 6 to 11 months without rain each year. The mean annual rainfall varies from 250 - 1,000mm, and the mean annual temperature is from 24 - 26°c.

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

None known

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.
]. The latex, which usually has a slightly cream-yellow hue, is poor in rubber and high in resin[
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 -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hevea+rigidifolia>

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