Triplaris cumingiana
Fisch. & C.A.Mey. ex C.A.Mey.
Polygonaceae
Triplaris arnottiana Meisn.
Triplaris guayaquilensis Wedd.
Triplaris lindeniana Wedd.
Common Name:
Cultivated tree in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Photograph by: mauroguanandi
General Information
Triplaris cumingiana is an evergreen tree with a pyramid-shaped crown; it can grow 10 - 25 metres tall. The bole, which can be 10 - 30cm in diameter has small buttresses at the base[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is used locally. It is grown as an ornamental in parks and gardens, being valued especially for its bright red fruits[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
Known Hazards
The terminal branches are pubescent and hollow. They are inhabited by very aggressive ants of the genus Pseudomyrmex - these will descend in hordes and aggressively attack any creature on the trunk[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; Central America - Panama.
Habitat
Dry, moist or wet forests at low elevations[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 20.00 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of moist, lowland tropical areas.
Plants may begin to flower when as little as 11 metres tall with a bole 12cm in diameter[
315- Title
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island
- Publication
-
- Author
- Croat. Thomas B.
- Website
- http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/croat/home
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- 0-8047-0950-5
- Description
- A very good flora of an area in Panama. Written some years ago, so some of the names have been changed. The book is out of print, but the whole flora is now available on the web.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The wood is used in the construction of domestic buildings, for making boxes and fence posts[
333- Title
- Tree Species of Panama
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://ctfs.arnarb.harvard.edu/webatlas/mainframe.php?order=s
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Factsheets on all the tree and shrub species of Panama, giving identification guide, brief guide to the species and some uses. A vast, but rather incomplete work as of 15/07/09.
].
We have no more information on the wood from this species. However, we have a general description of the wood for this genus, which is as follows:-
The heartwood is a pale gray-brown to pinkish-brown; it is not demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is medium to moderately coarse; the grain straight or slightly interlocked; lustre is medium; there is no distinctive odour or taste. The wood is not very durable, being susceptible to attack by decay fungi and vulnerable to dry-wood termites. Drying is reported to vary from fairly slow to rapid, depending on species, with medium warping and checking. The wood machines well in all operations, but is rated only fair in turning. It is used for purposes such as furniture components, boxes and crates, interior construction, fiberboard and particleboard, joinery[
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.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
