A very variable species, it has four recognised subspecies and a raft of synonyms[].

Common Name:

General Information

Guarea macrophylla is an evergreen tree with a wide, dense crown, that is rather variable in habit, ranging in height from a small tree up to 25 metres or more with buttresses. The bole is often short, around 15 - 25cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood and also for local medicinal use. It is quite probably also used as a shade tree in coffee plantations.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, The Guyanas. Caribbean - Leeward, Virgin and Windward Islands.

Habitat

Primary forests[]. Forest floodplains and near rivers in the rainforest[]. Upland rain forests, especially on bauxite hills[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly lowland tropical areas, though it is sometimes found at elevations up to 1,200 metres.
Prefers a partially shaded situation[].
Plants are slow growing, even when young[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is a powerful depurative and is also antisyphilitic, purgative[, , ]. It is an ingredient of patent medicines[].

Agroforestry Uses:

We do not have any specific information for this plant, but many species in this genus are commonly planted in coffee plantations in order to provide shade[].

Other Uses

The reddish wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, durable[, ]. It is used for cabinet making, general carpentry, boxes and toys[, ].
The wood is suitable for fuel[].
We do not have any more specific information for the wood of this species, but the following is a general description for the wood of this genus:-
The heartwood is pinkish to deep reddish-brown; it is distinct, but not sharply demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain rather straight; luster is rather low; green wood is aromatic but odour and taste are very mild or not distinctive in dry specimens. The heartwood has good resistance to dry-wood termites and is durable in the ground. The wood air dries slowly, but with only a moderate amount of warping and no checking. It saws and machines easily and well in all operations except boring, where there is a tendency to tear and crumble. It is used for making furniture, cabinet work, turnery, interior trim, joinery, ship construction (planking and trim), general carpentry, and decorative and utility veneer and plywood[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 50 days[].

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