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Useful Tropical Plants

Micropholis resinifera

(Ducke) Eyma

Sapotaceae


This species is possibly not distinct from Micropholis guyanensis[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

+ Synonyms

Pouteria resinifera (Ducke) Baehni

Sideroxylon resiniferum Ducke

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Micropholis resinifera is a tree growing up to 40 metres tall[
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.
]. The bole has flat buttresses up to 2 metres tall[
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild as the source of a gum, and probably also a good quality timber. This species is closely related to Micropholis guyanensis and so, like that species, might also have an edible fruit that is gathered from the wild for local consumption.
This species is only known from a few collections[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. It has been classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - northern Brazil in the Amazon basin.

Habitat

Non-flooded highland and lowland forest[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusVulnerable
Edibility Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height40.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The following entry is for the related M. Guyanensis. It possibly also applies to this species[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Fruit[
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.
]. The pulp is soft, white and transparent[
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.
]. The ellipsoid fruit is 12 - 25mm long and 15 - 20mm wide[
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.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The tree yields a gum known as 'Balata Rosada'[
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.
]. Balata is a gum made from tree sap and resembling rubber. It is used for gaskets, chewing gum, and as a gutta-percha substitute.

Because this species is closely related (and possibly part of) Micropholis guyanensis, its wood is likely to be very similar and have the same uses. These are described below:-
The heartwood of Micropholis guyanensis is yellow to greyish-brown, sometimes with a reddish or greenish tinge; it is not clearly demarcated from the 125 - 175mm wide band of sapwood. The texture is fine; grain straight; lustre medium; with indistinct growth rings. The wood is hard, heavy, strong, tough; it is reported to be resistant to teredo, but susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites. The rate of air-seasoning is rapid, and the amount of degrade is minor. The wood contains silica; its machining characteristics are as follows: planing, turning, and mortising are good; shaping and boring are excellent; sanding and resistance to screw splitting are fair. Sawing and machining are moderately difficult because of the silica in the wood, which dulls the saw teeth and cutting edges. However, the wood takes a high polish. It is used in construction and is also suitable for marine piling, furniture, cabinetwork, interior trim, flooring, paddles, farm implements, tool handles, veneer, plywood, and general carpentiy[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Micropholis+resinifera>

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