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Useful Tropical Plants

Garcinia macrophylla

Mart.

Clusiaceae


There is disagreement between botanists over the correct placing of this species, with some recognising the genus Rheedia and placing this species in that genus as Rheedia macrophylla (treated here as a synonym)[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Rheedia benthamiana Planch. & Triana

Rheedia macrophylla (Mart.) Planch. & Triana

Rheedia magnifica Pittier

Rheedia sagotiana Engl.

Common Name: Bacuripari

Garcinia macrophylla
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: I likE plants!
Creative Commons License
Garcinia macrophylla Garcinia macrophylla Garcinia macrophylla Garcinia macrophylla Garcinia macrophylla

General Information

Garcinia macrophylla is an evergreen tree with stiff, leathery leaves, growing 8 - 12 metres tall[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. The dense crown is narrowly pyramidal[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
]. The cylindrical bole is 30 - 50cm in diameter[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
The fruit is very popular within its native range. It is commonly gathered from the wild, and is also sometimes cultivated, especially in home gardens, for the fruit which is widely sold in native markets[
416
Title
Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
Year
2000
ISBN
85-867174-24-0
Description
A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
].
Garcinia macrophylla has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major
threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
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

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Guatemala to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad.

Habitat

Humid forests[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. Primary and secondary forests on both upland and floodplain sites[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height12.00 m
Growth RateFast
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid tropics[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. Young specimens have been killed by drops in temperature to -1°c[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. Older trees have been little harmed by temperatures down to -3°c[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
].
The tree is accustomed to light or moderate shade[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. Plants can tolerate at least some inundation[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Newly planted young trees establish well and grow away fairly rapidly[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Some 15 - 20-year-old trees have produced 100 - 200 fruits when there have been no adverse weather conditions[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms usually need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. At least some dioecious Garcinia species, however, are able to produce fertile seed even in the absence of fertilization (asexual reproduction). Such seeds would be expected to be genetically identical to the parent[
1798
Title
Taxonomic Revision of Garcinia Section Garcinia (Clusiaceae)
Publication
Phytotaxa 373 (1): 001-052
Author
Nazre M., Newman M.F., Pennington R.T. & Middleton D.J.
Website
https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.373.1.1
Publisher
 
Year
2018
ISBN
1179-3155
Description
 
]

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or made into jam[
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.
]. The white, aril-like pulp is agreeably subacid[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. The fruit is rounded-conical, pointed at one or both ends, about 8 cm wide, with a thick yellow rind, usually smooth, sometimes rough, containing a gummy yellow latex[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. The fruit is not much esteemed but is widely eaten[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
].

Medicinal

A latex obtained from the plant is used to make a plaster for easing bruised and battered muscles[
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 remedy is completed with a decoction of the young branches[
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 latex is also used to treat skin sores[
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 inner bark is rasped into cold water and infusion drunk as a treatment for stomach-ache and diarrhoea[
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
].

A decoction of the leaves and bark is used for the relief of pains in the side of body[
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
].

A decoction of the boiled leaves is used as a wash for fevers caused by eating fish[
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
]. A decoction of the leaves is poured into cracks in the skin of the foot[
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 root bark contains rheediaxanthones[
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

The wood is irregular-grained, heavy, moderately resistant to rot[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
]. It is suitable for cabinet making and tool handles[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
We do not have any more information on the wood of this species, but a general description of the wood for trees in the Americas which were formerly considered to be in the genus Rheedia is as follows:-
The heartwood is dark yellow-brown, grayish- or pinkish-brown, merging gradually into the sapwood; surfaces are sometimes specked with resinous exudations. The texture is medium to coarse; the grain straight to irregular and roey; luster medium to rather low; it is free from discernible odour or taste. Species in Surinam are rated durable to attack by decay fungi and fairly resistant to dry wood termites. Species in Colombia are resistant to a brown-rot fungus but not the white-rot in a laboratory assay. Under field conditions the wood was susceptible to decay and attack by insects. It dries rapidly, but is reported to be moderately difficult to air season, tending to warp and check. Reports on workability vary with species from moderate to high resistance to cutting to machining fairly well; reports on ease of finishing are also variable. The wood is used for purposes such as furniture, flooring (quarter sawn), heavy construction, and general carpentry[
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
].

Propagation

Seed - they have remained viable for 2 to 3 weeks, but require several weeks to germinate[
336
Title
Fruits of Warm Climates
Publication
 
Author
Morton. J.
Publisher
Florida Flair books, Florida.
Year
1987
ISBN
0961018410
Description
A very well written guide to about 125 species.
]. Best sown as soon as they are ripe in a semi-shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination rates are usually low, with the seed not sprouting until more than 90 days have passed[
625
Title
Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Lorenzi. H.
Publisher
Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
Year
2009
ISBN
85-86714-34-4
Description
Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Garcinia+macrophylla>

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