Common Name:

General Information

Metopium toxiferum is an evergreen tree with a broad, rounded crown of widely spreading, stout branches; it can grow 4 - 12 metres tall. The usually short bole can be 15 - 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood.

Known Hazards

The plant contains a latex, which often exudes naturally from the bark and leaves, becoming black once exposed to the air. This latex irritates the skin and causes allergies. After contact with it, 70% of Europeans develop itching papules a few days later, which then develop into blisters and remain for several weeks[].
The smoke of the burning wood irritates the skin[].

Botanical References

Range

Caribbean - Leeward Islands to Cuba and the Bahamas; SE N. America - Florida.

Habitat

Forests and thickets of the dry limestone region and rare in the moist limestone region of Puerto Rico[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A resinous gum obtained from the bark is said to be diuretic, emetic and purgative[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a rich dark brown streaked with red; the sapwood is yellowish or light brown. The wood is rather fine-textured; hard; heavy; strong; durable. It is easily worked in one report, but hard to work according to another; it takes a fine polish[, ]. It is little used in Puerto Rico but has served elsewhere for fence posts[]. It might well be used in cabinet work and for furniture, care being taken to overcome its tendency to check in drying[].

Propagation

Seed -

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