Oxandra lanceolata
(Sw.) Baill.
Annonaceae
Bocagea virgata (Sw.) Benth. & Hook.f.
Cananga lancea Poit. ex DC.
Guatteria virgata (A.Rich.) Dunal
Oxandra virgata A.Rich.
Uvaria lanceolata Sw.
Uvaria virgata Sw.
Common Name: West Indian Lancewood
General Information
Oxandra lanceolata is an evergreen shrub or a tree that can grow around 2 - 20metres tall. The trunk can be 10 - 30cm in diameter, and can be unbranched for up to 4 metres[
441- Title
- Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Womersley. J.S. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Melbourne University Press
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0 522 84095 7
- Description
- Only a part of the flora, but an excellent publication in 3 volumes. It can be downloaded from the internet.
,
448- Title
- Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second Volume.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Woodbury R.O.;Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 500 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
,
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its high quality wood, which is used locally and also exported. The plant also has local uses as a food and a medicine.
Oxandra lanceolata has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
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
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
,
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
Range
Southern N. America - central and southern Mexico; Caribbean - Cuba and Jamaica to Puerto Rico
Habitat
Dry thickets, deciduous forests or very humid forest, often on shallow and limestone soils; at elevations up to 700 metres[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
,
448- Title
- Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second Volume.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Woodbury R.O.;Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 500 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
,
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in calcium-rich soils[
2116- Title
- Elsevier’s Dictionary of Trees, Volume 1 North America: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and other lang
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grandtner M.M.
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.; Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
- 0-444-51784-7
- Description
-
].
Plants can flower and produce fruit all year round[
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - [
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
]. The fruit is composed of 1 - 4, maroon to black, ellipsoid to obovoid monocarps, each around 8 - 15mm long and 5 - 12mm wide[
2121- Title
- Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 61, 2016; 215-266
- Author
- Junikka L. et al
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.3767/000651916X694283
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Includes many plant uses recorded by plant collectors.
].
Medicinal
The bark is used as a gargle to treat toothache[
2116- Title
- Elsevier’s Dictionary of Trees, Volume 1 North America: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and other lang
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grandtner M.M.
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.; Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
- 0-444-51784-7
- Description
-
].
An infusion of the bark, leaves and roots is used to treat bad blood, diarrhoea and stomachache[
2116- Title
- Elsevier’s Dictionary of Trees, Volume 1 North America: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and other lang
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grandtner M.M.
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.; Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
- 0-444-51784-7
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
The light yellow wood is made up entirely of sapwood, though an almost black heartwood develops late in older specimens. The texture is very fine; the grain straight; lustre is medium; there is no distinctive odour or taste. The wood is very strong, extremely hard, elastic; durable. It is moderately difficult to work because of its high density, but finishes smoothly and is excellent for turnery and carving. It splits easily and should be pre-bored for nailing and screwing. It is said to be the equal of boxwood in hardness. The wood is used for making fishing rods, billiard cues, archery bows, articles of turnery, slats, rafters, masts, textile machinery, and small tool handles[
316- Title
- Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chudnoff. Martin.
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
,
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.
,
441- Title
- Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Womersley. J.S. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Melbourne University Press
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0 522 84095 7
- Description
- Only a part of the flora, but an excellent publication in 3 volumes. It can be downloaded from the internet.
,
448- Title
- Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second Volume.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Woodbury R.O.;Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 500 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
,
549- Title
- Flore Forestiere Du Globe
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chnacerel L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. On account of its special elasticity and springiness it is the best timber for cart shafts[
719- Title
- A Manual of the Timbers of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howard A.L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co.; London.
- Year
- 1934
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent and comprehensive book on timbers. Rather dated, but still a main source of information for many of the less known woods. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
