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Useful Tropical Plants

Hevea guianensis

Aubl.

Euphorbiaceae

+ Synonyms

Caoutchoua elastic J.F.Gmel.

Caoutchoua guianensis (Aubl.) O.F.Cook

Hevea andinensis Preusse-Sperber

Hevea apiculata Spruce ex Baill.

Hevea caucho Posada-Ar.

Hevea collina Huber

Hevea cuneata (Huber) Huber

Hevea elastica (L.f.) H.Karst.

Hevea foxii Huber

Hevea glabrescens Huber

Hevea lutea (Spruce ex Benth.) Müll.Arg.

Hevea marginata Ducke

Hevea nigra Ule

Hevea peruviana Aubl.

Jatropha elastica L.f.

Siphonanthus elasticus Schreb. ex Baill.

Siphonia apiculata Spruce ex Baill.

Siphonia cahuchu Rich. ex Willd.

Siphonia elastic Pers.

Siphonia guianensis (Aubl.) Juss. ex Baill.

Siphonia lutea Spruce ex Benth.

Common Name:

Hevea guianensis
Fruiting branch
Photograph by: Gerrit Davidse
Creative Commons License
Hevea guianensis Hevea guianensis Hevea guianensis Hevea guianensis Hevea guianensis

General Information

Hevea guianensis is an evergreen tree that often grows very large, to more than 30 metres tall, and frequently overtops the jungle canopy[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The seeds are an important food source for native people in some parts of the Amazon, though in other areas they are used as a food in times of famine only. Even though its cream-yellow latex yields a rubber of inferior quality, the species is assiduously tapped over a wide area[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Known Hazards

The seeds contain cyanic compounds are poisonous to humans unless treated[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. See notes on edible uses below[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Botanical References

422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.

Range

S. America - Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Well-drained upland or on high river-banks which are subject to light flooding for only a short period[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Marsh forest, especially along creeks in rainforest, savannah forest and forested slopes[
422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height30.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A very variable species[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Poisonous raw, the seeds are boiled for 24 hours, then the liquid is strained off[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The mass that remains has somewhat the colour and consistency of rice that has been boiled a long time[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The seeds are commonly used by some native people, though other tribes view them only as famine foods when better foods are not available[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

The latex obtained from the tree is used to kill parasitic botfly larvae[
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 tree (part not specified) is used to treat infections from the bite of the warble fly[
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

A latex is obtained from the tree[
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.
]. Yields a rubber of inferior quality[
587
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 37
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1956
ISBN
 
Description
Amongst other articles, it contains an excellent article on the food uses of the genus Hevea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hevea+guianensis>

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