Common Name:

General Information

Paratecoma peroba is an evergreen tree with a long, narrow crown; it can grow 20 - 40 or more metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be unbranched for up to threequarters its height and 40 - 80cm in diameter, exceptionally to 150cm[, ].
The tree provides a very good quality wood and so is often harvested from the wild for local use and trade. A large but very ornamental tree, it is used in landscaping in parks etc[].
There is currently no report for this tree in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but a report from 1992 says that the tree has been overexploited from the wild for its wood and is now almost extinct[].

Known Hazards

A fine dust produced in machining causes skin irritations in some wood workers[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern central Brazil.

Habitat

A canopy to emergent tree, growing in the Atlantic coastal rain forest, mainly in dense, primary formations but also found in secondary forest, preferring well-drained hillsides[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[]. Grows best on well-drained soils[].
Trees are moderately fast-growing when young, reaching a height of around 2.5 metres within two years from seed[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is light olive, with a yellowish, greenish, or reddish hue, sometimes indistinctly striped; it is sharply demarcated from the white or yellowish sapwood. The texture is fine; fairly lustrous; grain commonly interlocked with a narrow stripe or roey figure; without distinctive odour or taste[]. The wood is moderately heavy; hard; with moderate mechanical properties; of good natural durability even when exposed to the elements[]. It is reported to machine easily, but care is needed in planing quartered surfaces; easy to glue and finish, it polishes satisfactorily. It is suitable for fine furniture, decorative covering, veneer, parquet flooring, floorboards, skirting boards, vats and tanks for foodstuffs, lathe work, ship building etc[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers. A germination rate in excess of 40% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 15 - 30 days[]. When the seedbed sown seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 6 - 8 months later[].

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