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Useful Tropical Plants

Licania heteromorpha

Benth.

Chrysobalanaceae

+ Synonyms

Licania benthamii Hook.f.

Licania biglandulosa Griseb. ex Urb.

Licania costata Spruce ex Hook.f.

Licania glabra Mart. ex Hook.f.

Licania guianensis Klotzsch

Licania subcordata (Fritsch) Fritsch

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Licania heteromorpha is a tree growing up to 30 metres tall. The bole can be unbranched for up to 13 metres and 40 - 80cm in diameter[
528
Title
Indicador de Madeiras e Plantas Uteis do Brasil.
Publication
 
Author
Fonseca E. T. De
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Officinas graphicas Villas-Boas & Co.; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1922
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of some of the uses of Brazilian plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The tree has stilt roots and sometimes also has clusters of aerial roots at the base[
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, mordant and source of wood.

Known Hazards

None known

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.
,
734
Title
Chrysobalanaceae Part 1. Species Plantarum: Flora of the World, Part 9: 1-319
Publication
 
Author
Prance G.T.; Sothers C.A.
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb
Publisher
Australian Biological Resources Study; Canberra.
Year
2003
ISBN
0 642 56832 4
Description
An excellent monograph, part of a very ambitious project to catalogue all the plants in the world. It can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Internet.

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad.

Habitat

Marsh 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.
]. Commonest in periodically flooded forest, but also occurring elsewhere[
734
Title
Chrysobalanaceae Part 1. Species Plantarum: Flora of the World, Part 9: 1-319
Publication
 
Author
Prance G.T.; Sothers C.A.
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb
Publisher
Australian Biological Resources Study; Canberra.
Year
2003
ISBN
0 642 56832 4
Description
An excellent monograph, part of a very ambitious project to catalogue all the plants in the world. It can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Internet.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height5.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

An infusion of the inner bark is drunk as a treatment for tuberculosis[
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
].

An infusion of the bark is used to treat venereal diseases and diarrhoea[
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 powdered outer bark is sprinkled on wounds to keep them clean and dry[
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
].

An unspecified plant part is used as an antidiarrhoeal[
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 sap of the plant is applied externally to treat sores and skin blemishes such as 'lotta', a fungal infection[
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

An oil or resinous matter is extracted from the fruits. It is used for making paints[
528
Title
Indicador de Madeiras e Plantas Uteis do Brasil.
Publication
 
Author
Fonseca E. T. De
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Officinas graphicas Villas-Boas & Co.; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1922
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of some of the uses of Brazilian plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

An infusion of the inner bark is used as a mordant to fix the inks when decorating items such as bottle gourds[
528
Title
Indicador de Madeiras e Plantas Uteis do Brasil.
Publication
 
Author
Fonseca E. T. De
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Officinas graphicas Villas-Boas & Co.; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1922
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of some of the uses of Brazilian plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The wood is hard and very durable - in tests it lasted for 18 years in the soil[
528
Title
Indicador de Madeiras e Plantas Uteis do Brasil.
Publication
 
Author
Fonseca E. T. De
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Officinas graphicas Villas-Boas & Co.; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1922
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of some of the uses of Brazilian plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used for internal works and cabinet making.
The wood is a good fuel, burning well with a clean flame[
528
Title
Indicador de Madeiras e Plantas Uteis do Brasil.
Publication
 
Author
Fonseca E. T. De
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Officinas graphicas Villas-Boas & Co.; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1922
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of some of the uses of Brazilian plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

We have no more specific information on this wood - the following is a general description for the wood of this genus:-
The wood is a pale or pinkish brown with a greyish tinge, sometimes darkening on exposure, and with long, broad, prominent, dark reddish brown gum streaks[
453
Title
Woods of Northeastern Peru
Publication
 
Author
Williams L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum Press; Chicago.
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Straight-grained; medium or coarse-textured; when seasoned it is odourless and tasteless. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and durable. It is easy to split and takes a smooth, fairly lustrous polish[
453
Title
Woods of Northeastern Peru
Publication
 
Author
Williams L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum Press; Chicago.
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It should be suitable for heavy construction[
453
Title
Woods of Northeastern Peru
Publication
 
Author
Williams L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum Press; Chicago.
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. 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=Licania+heteromorpha>

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