Lafoensia punicifolia
DC.
Lythraceae
Calyplectus punicifolius Bertero ex DC.
Lafoensia mexicana Sessé & Moc.
Common Name:
General Information
Lafoensia punicifolia is an evergreen tree with a sparse crown[ it usually grows 10 - 15 metres tall, with occasional specimens up to 27 metres. The tree has a straight, cylindrical bole that can be up to 1 metre in diameter and is slightly buttressed on larger trees[
315- Title
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island
- Publication
-
- Author
- Croat. Thomas B.
- Website
- http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/croat/home
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- 0-8047-0950-5
- Description
- A very good flora of an area in Panama. Written some years ago, so some of the names have been changed. The book is out of print, but the whole flora is now available on the web.
,
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
This species is the origin of cne of the principal dyes of the native peoples in Panama, producing a beautiful yellow colour. The tree is harvested from the wild, both for this dye and also for its timber[
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to Mexico.
Habitat
A characteristic component of tropical moist forest[
315- Title
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island
- Publication
-
- Author
- Croat. Thomas B.
- Website
- http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/croat/home
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- 0-8047-0950-5
- Description
- A very good flora of an area in Panama. Written some years ago, so some of the names have been changed. The book is out of print, but the whole flora is now available on the web.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A fine yellow dye 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.
,
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. From the wood?[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The heartwood is yellow; the usually thick band of sapwood is pale yellow. The wood is usually straight and very fine-grained; rather hard; heavy; strong; tough; moderately durable, even in contact with the soil. It takes a very good polish[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It has many uses[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
,
551- Title
- A Century of Trees of Panama.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pittier H. Mell C.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A work that was very difficult to get published according to the correspondence contained at the start!. A treatment of 100 different species with descriptions and details of uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
