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Useful Tropical Plants

Machaerium isadelphum

(E.Mey.) Amshoff

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Drepanocarpus isadelphus E. Mey.

Machaerium armatum Vogel

Machaerium bangii Rusby

Machaerium costaricanum Pittier

Machaerium longifolium Benth.

Machaerium marginatum Standl.

Machaerium schunkei J.F. Macbr.

Machaerium setulosum Pittier

Machaerium tobagense Urb.

Common Name: Uña de Gato

Machaerium isadelphum
Close-up of flowers
Photograph by: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Machaerium isadelphum Machaerium isadelphum Machaerium isadelphum

General Information

Machaerium isadelphum is a spiny plant varying in habit from a climbing plant to a shrub or small tree. It usually grows from 3 - 10 metres tall, with a bole 5 - 30cm in diameter[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
,
1526
Title
The genus Machaerium (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae:Dalbergieae) in Ecuador
Publication
Brittonia, 58(2), 2006, pp. 124-150
Author
Lozano P. & Klitgaard B.B.
Website
http://10.1663/0007-196X(2006)58[124:TGMLPD]2.0.CO;2
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. The plant is very ornamental when in flower, at which time it can be seen from quite a distance[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1526
Title
The genus Machaerium (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae:Dalbergieae) in Ecuador
Publication
Brittonia, 58(2), 2006, pp. 124-150
Author
Lozano P. & Klitgaard B.B.
Website
http://10.1663/0007-196X(2006)58[124:TGMLPD]2.0.CO;2
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

S. America - Brazil, Peru, north through Central America to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad and Topbago

Habitat

Moist or dry thickets or forest, often along stream banks, sometimes in pine forest, at elevations up to 1,200 metres[
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/
]. Non-inundated habitats and along river banks, in rain forest, coastal dry forest and dry inter Andean valleys[
1526
Title
The genus Machaerium (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae:Dalbergieae) in Ecuador
Publication
Brittonia, 58(2), 2006, pp. 124-150
Author
Lozano P. & Klitgaard B.B.
Website
http://10.1663/0007-196X(2006)58[124:TGMLPD]2.0.CO;2
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
 
]

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitClimber
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details



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[
755
Title
Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A reddish gum resin obtained from the bark is considered to be antidote to the bites of poisonous snakes[
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.
,
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].

Other Uses

The bark yields a gum resin[
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.
,
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].

The soft, fibrous wood is only suitable for purposes such as crates and pallets[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-03. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Machaerium+isadelphum>

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