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Useful Tropical Plants

Machaerium lunatum

(L.f.) Ducke

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Drepanocarpus lunatus (L.f.) G.F.Mey

Pterocarpus lunatus L.f.

Common Name:

Machaerium lunatum
Immature seedpods
Photograph by: Reinaldo Aguilar
Creative Commons License
Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum Machaerium lunatum

General Information

Machaerium lunatum varies in habit from an evergreen shrub to small tree growing up to 5 metres tall, to a climbing shrub producing cylindrical stems up to 15 metres long and 12cm in diameter that climb into the surrounding vegetation[
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/
,
422
Title
Fruits of the Guianan Flora
Publication
 
Author
van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
Publisher
Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
Year
1985
ISBN
90-9000988-4
Description
Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
,
648
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
Publication
 
Author
Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
Year
2005
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

648
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
Publication
 
Author
Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
Year
2005
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

S. America - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua; Caribbean; West tropical Africa - Senegal to Angola

Habitat

In the coastal swamps that border on the mangroves in Puerto Rico[
648
Title
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
Publication
 
Author
Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
Year
2005
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Swampy places, along salt marshes and tidal river estuaries, often in association with the mangrove community in west Africa[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height10.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

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

The stem is cut and the liquid used as a wash for sick children[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The leaves are styptic. They are used in a compress to stop bleeding[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The unripe fruits are used in the treatment of abdominal troubles[
739
Title
Medicinal Plants of Brazil
Publication
 
Author
Mors W.B.; Rizzini C.T.; Pereira N.A.
Publisher
Reference Publications; Michigan.
Year
2000
ISBN
0-917256-42-5
Description
An extremely concise book, listing approximately 1,500 species and varieties of plants with their botanical name, common name in Brazil, regions in Brazil where the plant is found, a brief list of uses and any medically active compounds in the plant.
].

The root is astringent. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, dropsy, swellings, oedema, gout, leprosy, stomach troubles, venereal diseases[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

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

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