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Useful Tropical Plants

Cordia elaeagnoides

A.DC.

Boraginaceae

+ Synonyms

Cordia exsucca Sessé & Moc.

Gerascanthus elaeagnoides (DC.) Borhidi

Lithocardium elaeagnoides (A.DC.) Kuntze

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Cordia elaeagnoides is a deciduous tree usually growing 6 - 15 metres tall, occasionally reaching 20 metres[
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1903
Title
A Revision of Cordia Section Gerascanthus (Boraginales; Cordiaceae)
Publication
J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1); 55 - 83. 2013
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for its wood, and is highly valued in the areas where it occurs[
1903
Title
A Revision of Cordia Section Gerascanthus (Boraginales; Cordiaceae)
Publication
J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1); 55 - 83. 2013
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1903
Title
A Revision of Cordia Section Gerascanthus (Boraginales; Cordiaceae)
Publication
J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1); 55 - 83. 2013
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

C. America - southern Mexico (Sinaloa to Chiapas)

Habitat

Dry forests, sometimes dominant; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[
1903
Title
A Revision of Cordia Section Gerascanthus (Boraginales; Cordiaceae)
Publication
J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1); 55 - 83. 2013
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitTree
Height8.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The fruits of most Cordia species are comprised of a thin to fairly thick layer of pulpy, sweetish-tasting flesh surrounding a single seed and are more or less edible[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
]. (though some are known to cause gastric disturbances). This species, however, belongs to a section of the genus where the mesocarp is fibrous rather than fleshy[
1903
Title
A Revision of Cordia Section Gerascanthus (Boraginales; Cordiaceae)
Publication
J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1); 55 - 83. 2013
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2013
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is valuable for cabinet making[
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The wood of most species in this genus is hard and, where the plants grow large enough, the wood is often harvested at least locally for use in construction etc and also for making charcoal[
1902
Title
Two new species of Cordia L. (Boraginaceae) from Madagascar
Publication
Adansonia series 3, 23(2), 289-295, 2001
Author
Miller J.S.
Publisher
 
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cordia+elaeagnoides>

Comments

Rob Whitehead 24th October 2016 18:46
We call this tree BOCOTE in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. It is also known as Mexican Rosewood though it is not a true rosewood.

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