Common Name:

General Information

Micropholis melinoniana is a tree. It varies considerably in height, with specimens in Guatemala only growing up to 6 - 7 metres tall, whilst specimens in Panama have attained heights of 20 - 40 metres[, ]. The boles of larger specimens are straight and cylindrical, from 20 - 70cm in diameter with medium-sized buttresses at the base[].
The tree is the source of a gum and timber.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, French Guiana, Venezuela, through Central America to Mexico.

Habitat

Moist broad-leaf forest near sea level in Guatemala[]. Forests in wet or very humid climates at low to medium elevations in Panama[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moist to wet lowland tropical areas.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A balata is obtained from the tree[]. Balata is a gum made from tree sap and resembling rubber. It is use for making gaskets, chewing gum, and as a gutta-percha substitute.
Gutta-percha is a natural latex obtained from the sap of the tree. Allowing this fluid to evaporate and coagulate in the sun produces a hard and durable latex which can be made flexible again with hot water, but which does not become brittle. Prior to the advent of synthetic materials, gutta-percha had a wide range of uses - most particularly as an insulating material for electricity wiring and for underwater telegraph wires, a purpose for which it is very well suited since it is bio-inert and so is not attacked by marine plants or animals. Gutta-percha can be moulded into any shape and has been used to make items such as ornate furniture, pistol grips, acid-resistant receptacles and ‘mourning’ jewellery, where its dark colour was an advantage. It has been widely used as the core of golf balls and is still used in modern dentistry where its bio-inertness makes it ideal as a temporary filling for teeth and as a filling material inside tooth fillings[, ].

The wood is hard and heavy[]. It is used for fence posts, railway sleepers, planks and tool handles[].

Propagation

Seed -

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