Oxandra laurifolia
(Sw.) A.Rich
Annonaceae
Bocagea laurifolia (Sw.) Benth. & Hook.f.
Cananga pseudolancea Poit. ex Dunal
Guatteria laurifolia (Sw.) Dunal
Uvaria dodecandra Sessé & Moc.
Uvaria excelsa Vahl ex Dunal
Uvaria laurifolia Sw.
Common Name: Corcho Blanco
General Information
Oxandra laurifolia is an evergreen tree growing 9 - 16 metres or more tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 10 - 35cm in diameter[
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its high quality wood, which is used locally and also exported. Charcoal made from the wood is sold in local markets[
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.
].
Oxandra laurifolia has a wide range and, although it occurs in areas where forest cover loss has been reported over the past years, this species does not seem to be facing any major risk. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[
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
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
Caribbean - Martinique to Cuba.
Habitat
Humid, montane forests, lowland forests and gallery forests, growing on limestone in wet areas; at elevations up to 1,300 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.
,
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 |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Found in the wild on limestone, calcareous soils or red sandy soils[
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 flowers are aromatic[
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
The fruit has a watery, maroon red juice[
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.
]. (This report does not say the fruit is edible). The fruit is composed of 2 -7, yellow to dark maroon red, ellipsoid monocarps, each around 12 - 17mm long and 8 - 10mm 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
None known
Other Uses
The light yellow wood is made up entirely of sapwood. 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. Said to be the equal of boxwood in hardness, it is used for making fishing rods, billiard cues, archery bows, articles of turnery, 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.
,
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.
].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[
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.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
