Common Name:

General Information

Trichilia silvatica is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a pyramidal crown; it can grow from 4 - 10 metres tall[]. The smooth bole is 30 - 40cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally.
The tree is confined to remnant patches of the Atlantic coastal forest in Brazil and is vulnerable to ongoing forest destruction[]. It is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - southern central and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

An understorey tree of rainforests and secondary formations, occasionally also found in higher elevation forests, growing mainly on alluvial plains and the base of slopes in deep, fertile soils of slow drainage[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of the moist lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 400 metres.
Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade[].
Newly planted young trees establish and grow away moderately well[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is useful for reforestation schemes in degraded areas[].

Other Uses

The wood is fine-textured, straight-grained, heavy, soft, of medium resistance and very durable when protected from humidity[]. Usually only available in small dimensions, it is used for furniture, toys and boxes[].

Propagation

Seed - do not remove the fleshy covering around the seed because it does not tolerate being dried, and has a short viability of up to 1 month[]. Sow the seed as soon as it is ripe, either in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers, choosing a position in light shade[]. The germination rate is usually low, with the seed sprouting within a few weeks. Pot up seedbed-grown seedlings into individual pots when they are 4- 5cm tall and they should be ready for planting out into their permanent positions 5 - 7 months later[].

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