Common Name:

General Information

Goupia glabra is a large, semi-deciduous, canopy tree that can grow up to a height of 40 metres. The cylindrical bole, which is buttressed and can be 12 - 20 metres long, has a diameter of around 50 - 60 cm, with occasional specimens up to 90cm[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. The wood is also traded commercially.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama.

Habitat

Found in rain forests, lower montane forests and marsh forests, usually on sandy or loamy soils[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[]. Found in the wild on well-drained soils that can be clayey to sandy[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is used for soothing a toothache, and is also applied externally to treat chickenpox and eczema[].

The juice from the fresh inner bark is applied to cotton wool and inserted in an aching tooth cavity as an excellent dental analgesic[].

A decoction of the bark is drunk as a treatment for malaria[]. A cold water infusion of the bark is drunk as a vermifuge[].

The sap of the inner bark is drunk as a vermifuge[].

A decoction of the leaves is used as a wash to treat headache and fever[]. The leaves are used in an astringent decoction to treat syphilis[]. The crushed leaves yield a juice that is used to treat eye inflammations[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a light reddish or yellowish brown, darkening superficially upon exposure; it is distinctly, but not sharply, demarcated from the 3 - 8cm wide band of brownish or pinkish sapwood. The lustre is medium to rather high; the texture medium to coarse; the grain straight to interlocked; the odour is foetid when fresh but dissipates somewhat upon drying, though it is still apparent. The wood is very hard, heavy, tough, strong, and very resistant to decay when above ground. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect and is moderately difficult to work, stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is required to avoid splits; gluing is correct for interior use only; it takes a good polish, though the interlocked grain means that a careful sanding is necessary and a filler is sometimes needed in order to obtain a smooth finish. The wood has a range of applications, being used for purposes such as making furniture, railway sleepers, heavy carpentry, construction, poles, fence posts, boat building, flooring, street paving blocks etc[, , , , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A moderate germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 21 - 28 days[].

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