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Useful Tropical Plants

Oxandra laurifolia

(Sw.) A.Rich

Annonaceae

+ Synonyms

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

Oxandra laurifolia

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 StatusLeast Concern
Other Uses Rating *  *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height10.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

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

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