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Useful Tropical Plants

Randia echinocarpa

Moc. & Sessé ex DC.

Rubiaceae

+ Synonyms

Basanacantha echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) Bullock

Genipa echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) A.Gray

Solena echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) D.Dietr.

Common Name: Shacua

No Image.

General Information

Randia echinocarpa is a shrub or small tree usually growing around 3 - 4 metres tall, occasionally up to 6 metres. The plant has spines in bunches of fours at the ends of the branches[
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.
,
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1982
Title
Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
Publication
 
Author
Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
Publisher
D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
Year
2008
ISBN
978-607-2-00034-6
Description
A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The edible fruit is much appreciated, especially in the state of Guerrero, where it is often gathered from the wild.
In spite of the potential threats to its habitat, Randia echinocarpa is an adaptable species that has a wide distribution. It has established without survival problems throughout its distribution range. 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

1982
Title
Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
Publication
 
Author
Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
Publisher
D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
Year
2008
ISBN
978-607-2-00034-6
Description
A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.

Range

Southern N. America - westerm Mexico from Sonora and Chihuahua southwards, El Salvador

Habitat

Dry thickets and hillsides. Low deciduous forest, in shallow, sandy-clayey soil, sometimes also found in secondary vegetation associated with Mimosa sp. and Amphipterygium adstringens; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[
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.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height4.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of semi-arid regions at low to medium elevations in the subtropics and tropics of Mexico.

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
1982
Title
Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
Publication
 
Author
Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
Publisher
D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
Year
2008
ISBN
978-607-2-00034-6
Description
A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The pulp is a black, pudding-like mass congested with seeds and with a rich, bitter-sweet flavour[
1981
Title
Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
]. Children especially enjoy them[
1981
Title
Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
]. The green to yellow, subglobose fruits are around 50 - 80mm long and 45 - 90mm wide with wart-like bumps on the skin[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
,
1982
Title
Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
Publication
 
Author
Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
Publisher
D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
Year
2008
ISBN
978-607-2-00034-6
Description
A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].
The fruits are gathered as soon as they begin to ripen - if left on the trees any longer then birds and mammals will soon devour them[
1981
Title
Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
Year
1942
ISBN
 
Description
One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
].

The chopped, ground and boiled bark is used as a catalyst in the preparation of 'tesguino', a local alcoholic beverage[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

The fruit is considered to be a remedy for malaria[
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

A decoction of the leaves is prescribed against urinary diseases[
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.
,
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

The flowers, together with a little salt, are boiled and the liquid used as ear drops to treat otitis[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
]. The liquid can also be used in the nostrils to treat rhinitis[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

The fruit is used as an abortifacient[
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.
,
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
]. The fruit is used to relieve inflammation of the kidneys[
1982
Title
Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
Publication
 
Author
Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
Publisher
D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
Year
2008
ISBN
978-607-2-00034-6
Description
A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
]

The plant (part not specified) is also used in the treatment of a range of other conditions including anaemia, diabetes, chest pain, bronchitis, rheumatism, waist pain, internal bumps, malaria, diarrhoea and haemorrhoids[
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.
]

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Randia+echinocarpa>

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