Cyclanthus bipartitus
Poit. ex A.Rich.
Cyclanthaceae
Cyclanthus bifolius Perr.
Cyclanthus cristatus Klotzsch
Cyclanthus estaba Schaedtler
Cyclanthus plumieri Poit. ex A.Rich.
Discanthus odoratus Spruce
Common Name:
General Information
Cyclanthus bipartitus is a stemless perennial planr, often forming dense clumps of bifid leaves 50 - 100cm or more long on long, reed-like petioles also 50 - 100cm or more long. The plant can grow 1 - 3 metres tall[
469- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1928
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and body ornament. It is sometimes cultivated in Ecuador, where it is valued for the pleasing fragrance of the flowers[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
,
469- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1928
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone
Range
S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad to the Windward Isl
Habitat
Forests, especially along the sides of streams[
469- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1928
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone
]. Wet forests, at elevations up to 1,400 metres in Costa Rica[
369- Title
- Flora of Costa Rica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Pollinators | Beetles |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
The flowers have a pleasing fragrance, described as being between those of cinnamon and vanilla[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant (part not specified) is used in the treatment of snake bites and cataracts[
918- Title
- Journal of Ethnobiology. Vol. 12
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ethnobiology.org
- Publisher
- Society of Ethnobiology
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0278-0771
- Description
- A periodical with articles on the various uses of plants by native peoples.
].
Other Uses
The fragrant, showy bracts of the inflorescence have a pleasing fragrance, described as being between those of cinnamon and vanilla. They are used as a perfume and body ornament, being trimmed with fringes and then secured under wristbands[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. 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.
