Brownea macrophylla
Linden ex Mast.
Fabaceae
Brownea antioquensis Linden
Brownea macbrideana Standl. ex J.F. Macbr.
Common Name:
General Information
Brownea macrophylla is an evergreen shrub or a tree with a dense, umbrella-like crown; it can grow 4 - 12 metres tall. The branches are somewhat weak and often lean on nearby trees. The short bole can be up to 35cm in diameter. Flowers are produced on the stems, at the base of the branches[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
,
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.
,
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. It is often grown as an ornamental[
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.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
409- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 38
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains part of the Flora of Panama and a revision of the genus Aspidosperma, amongst other things.
Range
S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama.
Habitat
An understorey tree in rainforests, often in areas subject to periodic inundation[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
,
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
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Pollinators | Hummingbirds, Bees, Butterflies, Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the moist tropics, it cannot tolerate frosts.
Prefers a position in partial shade[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
,
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
]. Requires a moist soil, preferring a deep, rich, slightly acid soil[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
, 307,].
A slow-growing tree[
307- Title
- Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Barwick. M.
- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson, London
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0-500-51181-0
- Description
- A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
].
Plants can commence flowering when 3 - 4 years old from seed.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The bark, roots and leaves, are used to cure diseases and the grain of the skin[
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.
].
Other Uses
The heartwood is brown; the thick band of sapwood very light yellow. The wood is straight and coarse-grained; hard; moderately heavy; strong; very tough. It takes a fairly good polish. It is difficult to split and work on account of its long fibres, whicih impede the action of tools[
351- Title
- Fiji Plants: Their Names and Uses
- Publication
-
- Author
- H. B. Richenda Parham
- Publisher
- Journal of the Polynesian Society
- Year
- 1939
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published as a supplement in the Journal of the Polynesian Society. Very brief listing of the uses of plants growing in Fiji, listed in order of their native name with no index for the Botanical name.
].
The trunk, which is seldom above 35cm in diameter, is usually hollow and inhabited by ants, so that although the wood is hard and strong, it is not generally used[
351- Title
- Fiji Plants: Their Names and Uses
- Publication
-
- Author
- H. B. Richenda Parham
- Publisher
- Journal of the Polynesian Society
- Year
- 1939
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published as a supplement in the Journal of the Polynesian Society. Very brief listing of the uses of plants growing in Fiji, listed in order of their native name with no index for the Botanical name.
].
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. 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[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]
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.
