Brownea coccinea
Jacq.
Fabaceae
Brownea aroensis Pittier
Brownea capitella Jacq.
Brownea guaraba Pittier
Brownea guaramaco Pittier
Brownea latifolia Jacq.
Brownea longiflora Pittier
Brownea racemosa Jacq.
Brownea speciosa Rchb.
Brownea superba Pittier
Hermesias capitella (Jacq.) Kuntze
Hermesias coccinea (Jacq.) Kuntze
Hermesias latifolia (Jacq.) Kuntze
Hermesias racemosa (Jacq.) Kuntze
Hermesias speciosa (Rchb.) Kuntze
Common Name:
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: VoDeTan2
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: VoDeTan2
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Leaves
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Newly unfolding leaves
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Bark
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Brownea coccinea is a tree with a dense, spreading crown; it can grow 6 - 9 metres tall[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a drink. A very ornamental tree, it is commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical gardens where it is valued especially for its large heads of orange-red flowers which hang primarily beneath the foliage, on older branches[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
,
372- Title
- Flowers of India
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana; Caribbean - Trinidad.
Habitat
An understorey tree in rocky, shaded gorges at elevations around 600 metres[
502- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 18
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1917
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes a treatment of the Annona. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 7.50 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of moderate rainfall areas of the tropics, it is also cultivated in subtropical areas[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
A slow-growing tree[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[
755- Title
- Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].
Edible Uses
The bark of this species and Clusia grandiflora are boiled into a hot beverage resembling chocolate milk[
922- Title
- Non-timber forest products of the North-West District of Guyana
- Publication
- Tropenbos-Guyana Series 8a
- Author
- van Andel T.R.
- Publisher
- Tropenbos-Guyana Programme; Georgetown, Guyana
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 90-393-2536-7
- Description
- A very detailed study of the peoples and the plants they use, it includes a field guide to almost 500 species of useful plants.
].
Medicinal
The bark is used for treating haemorrhages and women’s diseases such menorrahgia and menstrual pains[
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
,
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
The leaves are emollient[
480- Title
- Green Manures and Manuring in the Tropics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sornay P. De. Translated by Flattely F.W.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- John Bale, Sons and Danielsson Ltd.: London
- Year
- 1916
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent work on the subject, even if it was written almost 100 years ago. It also includes a section of useful Legumes. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The flowers, when used as an infusion, are laxative and cooling[
480- Title
- Green Manures and Manuring in the Tropics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sornay P. De. Translated by Flattely F.W.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- John Bale, Sons and Danielsson Ltd.: London
- Year
- 1916
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent work on the subject, even if it was written almost 100 years ago. It also includes a section of useful Legumes. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. They are used in the treatment of coughs and colds, haemorrhages, whooping cough, and 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
].
Other Uses
We have no specific information for this species, but in general the wood of Brownea species is not of high quality. The sapwood is brownish-grey, odourless, tasteless, hard and heavy. The dark-brown to black heartwood is often not developed, it can be durable but is not attractive. The wood finishes smoothly but splinters easily[
1309- Title
- The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
- Publication
-
- Author
- Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
- Publisher
- University of Wisconsin
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-333-32221-5
- Description
- An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
