Lonchocarpus hondurensis
Benth.
Fabaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Lonchocarpus hondurensis is an evergreen tree that usually grows 6 - 8 metres tall, but with exceptional specimens to 15 metres[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. Trees can grow up to 30 metres tall[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. It has a bole 60 - 90cm in diameter, often with small buttresses, and a dense, spreading or rounded crown[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. Plants can be deciduous when growing in areas with a long dry season[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is used locally[
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.
]. It is a showy and handsome species when in flower[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
501- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 20
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1925
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical journal, it includes a monograph on the American species of the genus Rinorea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Central America - Honduras to Mexico.
Habitat
Along stream banks and in swampy forest, at elevations up to 400 metres[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 8.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The heartwood is dark brown and the sapwood is yellowish[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. The wood is durable, but susceptible to insect attacks[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. It is moderately easy to saw but, due to its high density, is hard to work with machinery and hand tools[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. Planing is difficult because the grain is interwoven[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. The wood is used for heavy construction, floors, parquet floors, furniture, cabinets, wagons, wheels, tool handles, crossbeams, frameworks, staves, interior walls, transoms, veneer, pilings, boats, turned articles, agricultural tools, and crosspieces for transmission lines and poles and in rural construction[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
Propagation
Seed - does not require pre-treatment[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. About 80 - 90% of the seeds germinate within 8 - 10 days[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
