Dicypellium caryophyllaceum
(Mart.) Nees
Lauraceae
Ocotea caryophyllacea (Mart.) Kostel.
Persea caryophyllacea Mart.
Common Name:
General Information
Dicypellium caryophyllaceum is an elegant, evergreen tree growing up to 20 metres tall.
The tree is commonly exploited from the wild, particularly for medicinal and food flavouring purposes, but also for its timber.
Intense exploitation of the bark to make essential oils has caused the species to become rare. It has been classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
The bark is said to be an ingredient of a curare made by Indians of the upper Amazon region[
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
].
Botanical References
Range
S. America - northern Brazil.
Habitat
Non-flooded rainforest[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruits and seed are required.
Edible Uses
The bark has a hot, clove-like, peppery taste[
460- Title
- Flora Medica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lindley J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
- Year
- 1838
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
]. Known as 'Clove Bark', it is used as a flavouring in foods[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used in quills, in the same way as cinnamon, to which it has a similar flavour[
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
].
The spicy fruits are used as a flavouring[
485- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].
The distilled flower buds yield an essential oil rich in eugenol. This is used to produce an artificial vanilla flavouring[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
The leaves are used as a substitute for China tea (Camellia spp.)[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
Medicinal
The bark is very aromatic, with a taste of pepper[
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
]. It has powerful tonic properties and is a gastro-inestinal stimulant[
460- Title
- Flora Medica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lindley J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
- Year
- 1838
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
,
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
]. It is used in an energizing tonic[
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
]. It is pulverised in alcohol and used as a stimulant and an aphrodisiac[
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
]. It is said to be a counter-poison to the root of Passiflora quadrangularis ('barbadine')[
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
].
The bark contains an aromatic essential oil, a resin, gum and tannins[
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
An essential oil, known as 'Clove bark oil', is obtained from the bark[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It has a strong, clove-like scent[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
A black dye, used for colouring cotton cloth, is obtained from the tree (part not specified)[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
The pale yellow wood is very aromatic, close-grained, strong[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
]. It is used for general and naval constructions, fellies and rims of waterwheels, cabinet making, general carpentry, floorboards etc[
461- Title
- Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Correa M.P.
- Publisher
- Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
