At least one treatment, 'Guía de Árboles de Bolivia' published in 1993, includes this species as part of Hedyosmum racemosum[].
Hedyosmum bonplandianum Kunth, is treated here as a synonym as per Zuloaga, F. O., O. Morrone, M. J. Belgrano, C. Marticorena & E. Marchesi. (eds.) 2008. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares del Cono Sur. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 107(1-3): i-xcvi, 1-3348. However, it is treated as distinct in many other works[].

Common Name: Cha De Soldado

General Information

Cha de Soldado is a deciduous shrub or small tree with an irregular crown; it can grow 3 - 6 metres tall. The crooked bole is 15 - 25cm in diameter[].
The plant is gathered from the wild and used locally as a tea and medicinal plant. It is often cultivated as a medicinal herb and tea plant in central Brazil, though only on a small scale[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Bolivia, southern, eastern, central and northern Brazil.

Habitat

Found most commonly on poorly drained soils in the humid Atlantic rainforest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[]. Tolerant of poorly drained soils[].
Young plants have a moderate rate of growth[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

The leaves, resembling peppermint in their flavour, are used as a tea[, ].
A tonic wine is made with the leaves[].

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is analeptic, aromatic and febrifuge[, ]. It is recommended in the treatment of migraine and also to deal with afflictions of the ovaries[]. It is also used to treat athlete's foot[].

The leaves are aphrodisiac, diuretic, stomachic, sudorific and tonic[, ].

Other Uses

The wood is light in weight, with poor resistance to insect attack[]. Of poor quality and small dimensions, it is only used for items such as light boxes[].

Propagation

The seed is tiny. It can be separated from the fruits, or the partially decomposed fruit can be sown. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of more than 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 35 - 45 days[].

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