Tetragastris altissima
(Aubl.) Swart.
Burseraceae
Amyris altissima (Aubl.) Willd.
Bursera altissima (Aubl.) Baill.
Icica altissima Aubl.
Icica cuspidata Kunth
Protium altissimum (Aubl.) Marchand
Tetragastris phanerosepala Sandwith
Tingulonga altissima (Aubl.) Kuntze
Common Name:
General Information
Tetragastris altissima is an evergreen tree; it can grow 15 - 30 metres tall. The straight bole can be unbranched for most of its height and 50 - 60cm in diameter[
363- Title
- Technical Information on 134 Species of Bolivian Woods
- Publication
-
- Author
- USDA Forest Service -- Forest Products Lab
- Website
- http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/publications/
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A PDF file, available for download. Exactly what the title says, brief and to the point.
,
422- Title
- Fruits of the Guianan Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
- Publisher
- Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 90-9000988-4
- Description
- Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
,
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
,
848- Title
- Tropix 7
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
- Publisher
- CIRAD
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guyanas.
Habitat
Lowland rainforests, at elevations below 500 metres[
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
,
422- Title
- Fruits of the Guianan Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- van Roosmalen. M.G.M.
- Publisher
- Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 90-9000988-4
- Description
- Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 18.00 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
].
Edible Uses
We have no specific information for this plant, but the fruits of Tetragastris species are generally red, opening at maturity to expose a stone with an edibe, sweet white covering that attracts animals like pacas, peccaries and tortoises, which disperse some seeds throughout the forest. Forest people snack on the white pulp when the stones fall[
757- Title
- Fruit Trees and Useful Plants in Amazonian Life
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products 20.
- Author
- Shanley P.; Cymerys M.; Serra M.; Medina G. (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2360e/i2360e.pdf
- Publisher
- FAO, United Nations
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-92-5-107007-9
- Description
- Quite a lot of information on a number of useful plants growing in the Amazon. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Medicinal
An emulsion of the fresh aromatic resin, in water, is used to treat bronchitis and lung infections[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The bark and the wood are recommended in the treatment of intermittent fevers and urinary diseases[
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
].
Other Uses
An aromatic resin is obtained from the bark. It is used medicinally[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
,
526- Title
- An Illustrated Dictionary of Medicine, Biology and Allied Sciences.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gould G.M.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- P. Blakiston's Son & Co.; Philadelphia.
- Year
- 1907
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A major work at the time, though very dated now. Contains quite a lot of information about medicinal plant uses.
].
The heartwood is light brown to orangey-yellow, sometimes with frequent small, black, resinous spots; it is clearly demarcated from the 4 - 6cm wide band of orange-yellow sapwood. Texture is fine; the grain interlocked; lustre is medium; taste and odour indistinct. The wood is heavy, hard, of moderate elasticity, moderately durable, with resistance to attacks by fungi, dry wood borers and termites. The drying rate is normal to slow with a high risk of distortion or checking; once dry it is poorly stable in service. Sawing and machining are nore or less easy, but with a fairly high blunting effect - stellite-tipped sawteeth are recommended. Nailing and screwing are good, though pre-boring is necessary to avoid splitting; gluing is correct. The wood is used for industrial or heavy flooring, interior stairs, joinery, heavy carpentry, bridges etc[
363- Title
- Technical Information on 134 Species of Bolivian Woods
- Publication
-
- Author
- USDA Forest Service -- Forest Products Lab
- Website
- http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/publications/
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A PDF file, available for download. Exactly what the title says, brief and to the point.
,
848- Title
- Tropix 7
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
- Publisher
- CIRAD
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
