This species is possibly not distinct from Micropholis guyanensis[].

Common Name:

General Information

Micropholis resinifera is a tree growing up to 40 metres tall[]. The bole has flat buttresses up to 2 metres tall[].
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[]. It has been classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Brazil in the Amazon basin.

Habitat

Non-flooded highland and lowland forest[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	40.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The following entry is for the related M. Guyanensis. It possibly also applies to this species[].

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

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The tree yields a gum known as 'Balata Rosada'[]. 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[].

Propagation

Seed -

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