If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Varronia macrocephala

Desv.

Boraginaceae

+ Synonyms

Cordia asterothrix Killip

Cordia guayaquilensis A.DC.

Cordia macrocephala (Desv.) Kunth

Cordia polyantha Benth.

Cordia pringlei B.L.Rob.

Cordia storkii Standl.

Lithocardium guayaquilense (A.DC.) Kuntze

Varronia asterothrix (Killip) Borhidi

Varronia polyantha (Benth.) Friesen

Varronia pringlei (B.L.Rob.) Friesen

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Varronia macrocephala is a usually multi-stemmed shrub growing up to 5 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

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.

Range

S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala to central Mexico

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height4.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
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
 
].
We have seen no further specific information for this species. The fruits of most Cordia (Varronia) species are comprised of a thin to fairly thick layer of pulpy, sweetish-tasting flesh surrounding a single seed and are more or less edible[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
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.
], (though some are known to cause gastric disturbances).

Medicinal

An infusion of the flowers is used as a carminative[
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
 
].

Other Uses

The wood is used for construction[
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 for fuel[
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 -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Varronia+macrocephala>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.