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Useful Tropical Plants

Ormosia amazonica

Ducke

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Ormosia euneura Harms

Common Name:

Ormosia amazonica
Seedpods - one opening to reveal the seed
Photograph by: Environmental Sciences Program, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
© Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Ormosia amazonica Ormosia amazonica Ormosia amazonica Ormosia amazonica Ormosia amazonica

General Information

Ormosia amazonica is an evergreen tree; it can grow from 10 - 25 metres tall[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
749
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 32
Publication
 
Author
Rudd V.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington.
Year
1968
ISBN
 
Description
Monographs of several species in the family Fabaceae, including the Ormosia that occur in the Americas. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of beads and wood.

Known Hazards

The plants, but especially the seed and perhaps also the bark, of many if not all species in this genus contain alkaloids and are toxic[
864
Title
Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 21
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Botanical Museum; Cambridge, Massachusetts
Year
1963 - 1967
ISBN
 
Description
A series of botanical articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Botanical References

749
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 32
Publication
 
Author
Rudd V.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington.
Year
1968
ISBN
 
Description
Monographs of several species in the family Fabaceae, including the Ormosia that occur in the Americas. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

S. America - northern Brazil, Peru; C. America - Panama.

Habitat

Forests, especially along the sides of rivers, in areas subject to seasonal inundation[
749
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 32
Publication
 
Author
Rudd V.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution Press; Washington.
Year
1968
ISBN
 
Description
Monographs of several species in the family Fabaceae, including the Ormosia that occur in the Americas. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Wet or very humid forests at low to medium elevations[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

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 colourful seeds are used to make necklaces and earrings[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
521
Title
Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
Publication
Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
Author
Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
Year
1984
ISBN
0015 - 0746
Description
Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The Peruvian Amazon indigenous groups know this species with the common name of Solitaire and use the seeds to make bracelets that are said to help prevent the 'evil eye'[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].

The wood is used in carpentry and cabinetmaking[
333
Title
Tree Species of Panama
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
We do not have any more information on the wood of this species, but a general description for the wood of S. American members of this genus is as follows:-
The heartwood is pinkish to reddish, mostly salmon-coloured, sometimes yellowish-brown, more or less streaked; it is not always distinct from the yellowish sapwood. The texture is coarse to very coarse; the grain mostly irregular; lustre usually medium; it feels harsh; there is no distinctive odour or taste. The wood is generally reported to be quite susceptible to attack by decay fungi; it is vulnerable to dry-wood termites, and prone to powder-post beetle attack
(sapwood). It generally air dries very slowly; checking and warp vary from slight to moderate. For most species, the wood is reported to saw and machine easily, with fair to good results; surfaces, however, are somewhat rough and difficult to finish. It is used for furniture components, interior construction, general carpentry, and utility veneer[
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 - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ormosia%20amazonica>

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