Common Name:

General Information

Micropholis crassipedicellata is an evergreen tree with a dense, elongated crown; it can grow 10 - 30 metres tall. The bole usually branches from low down, it can be 50 - 60cm in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild as a local source of food and wood. The wood is a source of 'curupixa' timber and is traded.
The species habitat has suffered greatly from intensive logging. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern and southern Brazil.

Habitat

Humid Atlantic rainforest, growing on wet floodplains at elevations up to 200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade[]. Trees can withstand periodic inundation of the soil[].
Plants have a moderate rate of growth[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The greeny-yellow, globose fruit is about 15mm in diameter, containing a single, large seed[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is fine-textured, straight-grained, light in weight, hard, slightly susceptible to wood-eating organisms. It is suitable for general construction[].

The wood is a source of a good quality hardwood known as 'curupixa'. We do not have any more specific information on the wood of this species, but a general description of curupixa wood is as follows:-
The heartwood is a yellow-brown to grey-brown, sometimes with pink or purplish glints; it is not demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain is straight. The wood is moderately heavy to heavy; moderately hard; not very durable, being susceptible to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons fairly quickly, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect, stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct. The wood is used for making high class furniture, cabinet making, turnery, wood-ware, light carpentry, interior joinery and panelling, flooring, veneer etc[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 50 days[].

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