Coulteria platyloba
(S.Watson) N.Zamora
Fabaceae
Brasilettia blasiana (M.E.Jones) Britton
Brasilettia pilosa Britton & Rose
Brasilettia platyloba (S.Watson) Britton & Rose
Brasilettia pubescens Britton
Caesalpinia blasiana M.E.Jones
Caesalpinia platyloba S.Watson
Common Name: Palo Colorado
General Information
Coulteria platyloba is an erect, deciduous shrub or a small tree with an open canopy; it can grow around 1.8 - 6 metres tall[
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 plant is harvested from the wild for local use asa food and source of materials. It is a minor source of the high quality red dye obtained from Brazilwood (Haematoxylum brasiletto).
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
C. America - Costa Rica, Guatemala, north to central Mexico
Habitat
Wooded slopes of the Short-tree forest and occasional in Thorn Forest in arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 4.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
The leaves turn a deep red as the dry season begins and then soon fall. New leaves are produced when the rainy season begins, meaning in some areas the tree is leafless for up to 8 months[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
].n some arid areas
Edible Uses
The seeds are roasted, ground into a powder and eaten in the form of atole (a traditional corn-based hot beverage), or the dried seeds can be ground into a flour and made into tortillas[
1841- Title
- The Warihio Indians of Sonora-Chihuahua; An Ethnographic Survey (Anthropological Papers, No. 65)
- Publication
- Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 186 pp 61-144
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1963
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent study
,
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A red dye,is obtained from the heartwood. It is said to be the pigment used in imprinting the "red hand" found on the walls of many of the Maya buildings[
493- Title
- Flora of Yucatan
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The first flora that was attempted for this area in 1930, so it is obviously lacking information and the Botanical names can be out of date. Still, an excellent work and it records many plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The red wood is hard and strong[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
]. It is employed chiefly for corner posts or cross and horizontal poles in the construction of traditional houses[
676- Title
- Anthropological Papers Nos. 27 - 32
- Publication
- Bureau of American Ethnology. Bulletin 136.
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- US Government Printing Office; Washington.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of papers, including one looking at 100 often used native plants of the Yucatan.
].
The wood is hard, heavy, and close-grained[
493- Title
- Flora of Yucatan
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The first flora that was attempted for this area in 1930, so it is obviously lacking information and the Botanical names can be out of date. Still, an excellent work and it records many plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]..
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
