Common Name:

General Information

Lonchocarpus salvadorensis is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 27 metres tall but is more likely to be within the range 6 - 20 metres. The bole can be up to 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use of its bark and probably also its wood. It is sometimes used as a shade tree in coffee plantations.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

C. America - Costa Rica north to southern Mexico

Habitat

Dry or moist forest, chiefly on plains, often along stream banks or left as a shade tree in coffee plantations; at elevations up to 1,350 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is sometimes left to serve as a shade tree in coffee plantations when the forest is cleared[]

Other Uses

Bands of the tough, flexible, thin bark are employed as the frames of sieves and also to encircle or wrap large cheeses when they are prepared for shipment[].

We have no specific 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

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[].

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