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Useful Tropical Plants

Herrania lemniscata

(R.H.Schomb.) R.E.Schult.

Malvaceae

+ Synonyms

Lightia lemniscata R.H.Schomb.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Herrania lemniscata is an evergreen tree growing up to 9 metres tall[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
It is sometimes harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and seeds, which are used locally.

Known Hazards

The fruits of many members of this genus have some or many stinging hairs on them[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Botanical References

635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Northern S. America - Brazil, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia.

Habitat

Rainforests, often in swamps and on rather swampy soils, at elevations from 120 - 900 metres[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height7.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in most soils[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The white, acidulous pulp surrounding the seed is eaten raw[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The pulp is most delicious just before the complete ripening of the fruit[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Seed - used to make a chocolate-like beverage[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The following report is based mainly on the seeds of H. Nitida, but the seed of this species is likely to be very similar[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The seed contains up to 66% oil[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is solid at room temperature, turning liquid at 25 - 29°c[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The oil comprises 18 - 26% linoleic acid, 2 - 7% oleic acid and 74 - 76% saturated acids[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The following description of the wood is for H. Nitida. The wood of this species is likely to be very similar[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The heartwood is pinkish brown, the sapwood pale pink[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The wood has no distinctive odour or taste; it is straight- or wavy-grained; coarse-textured. It is light in weight; soft; not durable[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It requires sharp tools in order to cut smoothly across the grain[
635
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 39
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1958
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst the many botanical articles is a treatment of the genus Herrania. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Herrania+lemniscata>

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