Laguncularia racemosa
(L.) C.F.Gaertn.
Combretaceae
Conocarpus racemosus L.
Laguncularia obovata Miq.
Rhizaeris alba Raf.
Schousboea commutata Spreng.
Common Name: White Buttonwood
Trees growing in native habitat in La Manzanilla, Jalisco, México
Photograph by: Tomas Castelazo
General Information
White buttonwood is an evergreen that ranges widely in size from a shrub 3 metres tall or less, up to a moderately large, multi-stemmed tree with a rounded, irregular crown, that can grow up to 25 metres tall with a bole up to 70 cm in diameter[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for food, medicines and various commodities.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
Range
Coastal areas of tropical W. Africa, the Caribbean, eastern and western coasts of tropical America.
Habitat
Restricted to the landward fringe of mangrove vegetations, it is also a pioneer on disturbed sites where it can form pure stands[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Properties
Weed Potential | Yes |
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Evergreen Tree |
Height | 15.00 m |
Growth Rate | Fast |
Pollinators | Bees |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of tropical coastal areas. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 38°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 800 - 7,000mm[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
,
].
Grows best in a sunny position, tolerating light shade[
]. Succeeds on a wide variety of soil types, including silt, clay, sand, peat, and marl[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. Tolerates high levels of salt in the soil[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5[
].
A fast-growing tree, seedlings attain a height of approximately 60 to 90 cm after 1 year in the nursery and can then be planted out[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
,
].
Flowering starts when plants are about 2 years old and occurs all year round[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Fruiting is abundant and usually a carpet of seedlings is produced but most seedlings die in the first year[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The species is often regarded as somewhat weedy in nature and frequently invades sites planted with R. Mangle or Avicennia germinans[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
Most glands on the leaf blade function as salt glands and the salt solution may crystallize so rapidly that crystals are extruded in chains from the mouth of the gland[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The plant is predominantly dioecious, but bisexual individuals are also found[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. In general, both male and female plants need to be grown if seed is required,
Edible Uses
The fruits are eaten[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The fruit is slightly fleshy and one-seeded (drupe); it is gray-green or pea green when immature and brownish at maturity. The fruits are lens-shaped and about 2 cm long[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
Medicinal
A bark infusion is used as an astringent, tonic and folk remedy for dysentery, aphthae, fever and scurvy. It is also attributed some antitumor activity[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Other Uses
The bark and leaves produce a tannin and a brown dye of good quality, but not in quantities that are economically interesting[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The bark is used to treat fishing nets for longer preservation[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. In experiments with bark from Caribbean samples, the bark was found to contain 12 - 24% tannin[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
A gum exudes from the bark, especially when it is damaged[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It contains sugars (galactose, arabinose and rhamnose), galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid and its 4-O-methyl ether[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The gum is similar to that of many Combretum species, giving acidic solutions, with low nitrogen content and high rhamnose content after acidic hydrolysis. The gum has been used in combination with agar as a cheap substrate for in vitro fungi cultures[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The heartwood is yellowish brown; the sapwood light brown[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. The wood is heavy, hard, strong and close-grained[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It is sometimes used for construction and wooden utensils[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. Untreated poles of the wood in contact with the ground lasted for only 2 - 3 years. If treated it can last for 10 years or more[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The wood is mainly used for fuel and also to make charcoal[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
].
Propagation
Seed - typically root in 5 to 10 days with no pre-treatment. Seeds can also be soaked until the radicle emerges about 1 cm and then sowed by carefully inserting the radicle into the soil[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. If the propagules are soaked before sowing, the water should be changed frequently, ideally every day[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
Rooted cuttings. Vegetative propagation is important in reforestation programmes in mangrove-suitable areas. The most important factor for survival of cuttings is rooting of the shoots prior to cutting from the parent trees. Under natural conditions rooting occurs often after flooding. Rooted cuttings can even be planted in salt water and they start flowering within a year[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The seeds begin germination whilst still on the tree or while floating in the water, and floating seeds commonly have roots[[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. The seeds can be collected directly from the trees, from the soil surface, or while they are floating in open water[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
]. Little information is available on storage of the seed, but storage for longer than about 10 days is not recommended[
337- Title
- Tropical Tree Seed Manual
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vosso. J. Editor.
- Website
- http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above.
].
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