A recent publication, Taxon 61(1): 104. 2012., has proposed transferring this species to the genus Dahlstedtia as Dahlstedtia araripensis (Benth.) M.J. Silva & A.M.G. Azevedo[].

Common Name:

General Information

Lonchocarpus araripensis is a deciduous tree with a sparse, narrow, vase-shaped crown; it can grow 4 - 7 metres tall. The usually short, crooked bole can be 20 - 35cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It can be used as a pioneer when restoring native woodland and establishing woodland gardens. Ornamental when in bloom, it can be used in landscaping, especially for planting under power lines in streets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northeast Brazil, Ecuador.

Habitat

Dry forests and savannah, favouring secondary formations, growing from the coast to moderate elevations and found in a wide range of soils and conditions including dry, rocky soil and moist, clayey, lowland soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the 'Caatinga' dry forest region of northeast Brazil. The climate is hot and dry, there are usually 6 to 11 months without rain each year. The mean annual rainfall varies from 250 - 1,000mm, and the mean annual temperature is from 24 - 26°c.
Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in a wide range of soils including poor rocky soils and moist clays[]. Established plants are drought tolerant.
Young plants have a fast rate of growth[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing tree that fixes atmospheric nitrogen and can succeed in a wide range of soils, it can be used in reforestation projects to restore native woodland and also to establish woodland gardens[, ].

Other Uses

The wood is medium to thick-textured, cross-grained, heavy, soft, with moderate mechanical properties and not durable. It is used locally in rustic constructions, as well as for tool handles, fence posts, boxes etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].
We have no more information on the wood of this species. However, we have a general description of the wood for members of this genus, which is as follows:-
The heartwood is yellowish-brown to dark reddish-brown, striped with rather fine uniform parenchyma laminations of a lighter colour; it is sharply demarcated from the thick band of yellowish sapwood. The texture is moderately coarse; the grain straight to irregular or interlocked; lustre is low to medium; there is no distinctive odour or taste. Durability varies considerably with the species. Seasoning also varies with species, the drying rate can be rather slow to rather
rapid. It is reported to dry satisfactorily without excessive distortion or shrinkage if dried slowly. In spite of its hardness, the wood is not particularly difficult to work; smooth planing, however, is difficult because of interlocked grain. It is used for purposes such as heavy construction, flooring, furniture components etc. Durable species have been suggested for railroad crossties[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A high germination rate can usually be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 35 days[].
Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have been dried for storage the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: Type the digit seven into the box