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Useful Tropical Plants

Maytenus obtusifolia

Mart.

Celastraceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Maytenus obtusifolia
Flowering branch
Photograph by: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil
Creative Commons License
Maytenus obtusifolia Maytenus obtusifolia Maytenus obtusifolia

General Information

Maytenus obtusifolia is a large tree growing up to 32 metres tall[
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 cylindrical bole is up to 1 metre 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.
].
The leaves are a popular herbal remedy in Brazil, where they are commonly harvested from the wild. The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, whilst its leaves are also used as a tea substitute.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - northern and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height25.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, found at elevations up to 1,000 metres.

Edible Uses

An infusion of the leaves is used as a substitute for China tea (Camellia sinsnsis)[
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.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are a popular herbal medicine in Brazil, where they are used in the treatment of serious ulcers, general inflammations, cancer and also against external ulcers on the skin[
602
Title
Evaluation of the toxicity and antiulcerogenic activity of the ethanol extract of Maytenus obtusifolia leaves.
Publication
 
Author
Kelly Samara de Lira Mota et al.
Publisher
Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia
Year
2008
ISBN
0102-695X
Description
A research paper, demonstrating the effectiveness of Maytenus obtusifolia in the treatment of ulcers.
].
Research has shown that the plant is an effective and safe treatment against ulcers, though the mechanism of action has not yet been determined[
602
Title
Evaluation of the toxicity and antiulcerogenic activity of the ethanol extract of Maytenus obtusifolia leaves.
Publication
 
Author
Kelly Samara de Lira Mota et al.
Publisher
Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia
Year
2008
ISBN
0102-695X
Description
A research paper, demonstrating the effectiveness of Maytenus obtusifolia in the treatment of ulcers.
].

Other Uses

The heartwood is pale pink to pinky brown, the sapwood is white or gray[
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 hard, heavy, very strong, easy to work but not durable when in contact with the soil[
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.
]. It is an excellent wood for general construction, and is also used for general carpentry and rural construction work[
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.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Maytenus+obtusifolia>

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