Unonopsis veneficiorum
(Mart.) R.E.Fr.
Annonaceae
Guatteria veneficiorum Mart.
Common Name: Bara Caspi
General Information
Unonopsis veneficiorum is a shrub or a tree that usually grows around 1 - 7 metres tall, exceptionally to 15 metres. The trunk can be around 2 - 12cm in diameter[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
,
2111- Title
- Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007
- Author
- Maas P.J.M. et al
- Website
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Unonopsis veneficiorum is widespread and known from many collections. There are not thought to be serious threats affecting its survival. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[
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
The plant contains alkaloids, believed to be bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids. It has been used as part of a contraceptive formula, whilst the root and bark of the lower stem are used either as the basis of, or as an admixture to, the arrow poison curare[
630- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
762- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 26
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of botanical leaflets. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The fruit is used as a poison in blowgun darts[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Botanical References
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
,
2111- Title
- Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007
- Author
- Maas P.J.M. et al
- Website
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.
Habitat
An understorey plant in dense rain forest at low elevations[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Mainly in non-inundated forests but occasionally in periodically inundated forests, growing on clayey to lateritic soils; at elevations up to 450 metres[
2111- Title
- Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007
- Author
- Maas P.J.M. et al
- Website
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The ripe fruit is edible[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Medicinal
The plant is said to be an ingredient of a contraceptive formula[
630- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 28
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An article on the Ethnopharmacological uses of plants in northwestern S. America, amongst many other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
762- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 26
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of botanical leaflets. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. This report could be an erroneous identification, and probably refers instead to Anaxagorea macrantha R.E. Fr.[
2111- Title
- Revision of the Neotropical Genera Bocageopsis, Onychopetalum and Unonopsis (Annonaceae)
- Publication
- Blumea 52: 413-554, 2007
- Author
- Maas P.J.M. et al
- Website
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3767/000651907X608909
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The tree (part not specified) has been used in the treatment of senile dementia[
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
The bark is used to make basket straps[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
The wood is used traditionally for making house rafters[
521- Title
- Useful Plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of Eastern Ecuador.
- Publication
- Fieldiana Botany New Series No. 15
- Author
- Vickers W.T.; Plowman T.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; USA.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0015 - 0746
- Description
- Very terse, but it gives the uses of a large number of species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The stem is timber, it is used to make levers and as a stringer or beams in the construction of traditional houses[
1783- Title
- Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
- Publisher
- Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-9978-77-135-8
- Description
-
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
