Common Name:

General Information

Aspidosperma album is an evergreen tree growing from 10 - 30 metres tall with a bole 30 - 60 cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It yields a high class timber known as 'Araracanga' which is commonly harvested from the wild and exported.

Known Hazards

The freshly cut wood and sap of Aspidosperma species causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, with general malaise[].
The sawdust, on contact with abraded skin, produces local burning and a vesicular eruption with general symptoms of muscular weakness and cramps, sweating, dryness of the mouth, and faintness[].
Once the wood is thoroughly dry it loses its toxicity unless polishes or dyes in organic solvents are used on it[]

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Dense forests[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very variable species, especially in leaf form[]. This is possibly as a result of hybridisation with other members of the genus, possibly A. Spruceanum or A. Fendleri[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is antifungal, astringent, febrifuge[348. A decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, fevers and malaria[].
Juice from the macerated inner bark is applied to affected area as a treatment for dermatosis[].

Other Uses

The orange-brown wood has a waxy feeling[]. It is used for heavy construction[], and is recommended for high class end uses in cabinet making etc[].
This tree yields a timber known as 'araracanga'. We do not have any more specific information, but a general description of araracanga is as follows:-
The heartwood is vermillion or deep reddish brown, sometimes with large pink veins, and constitutes about two-thirds of the bole; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 8cm wide band of almost white to light brown sapwood[]. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is very heavy, very hard and very durable when in contact with the soil, being very resisant to fungi and dry wood borers, and moderately resistant to termites. It is somewhay slow to season, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect and is hard to work - power tools that are stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is required; gluing is correct for interior purposes only. The wood has various applications, being used for purposes such as heavy bridges, railroad ties, house posts, heavy carpentry, industrial flooring, hydraulic works in fresh water etc[].

Propagation

Seed -

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