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Useful Tropical Plants

Varronia polycephala

Lam.

Boraginaceae

+ Synonyms

Cordia corymbosa (Desv.) G.Don

Cordia monosperma (Jacq.) Roem. & Schult.

Cordia polycephala (Lam.) I.M.Johnst.

Varronia corymbosa Desv.

Varronia monosperma Jacq.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Varronia polycephala is a slender shrub growing 1 - 5 metres tall. The plant sometimes adopts a more climbing habit[
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.
,
699
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 16
Publication
 
Author
Rehder A. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University: Boston.
Year
1935
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal containing several interesting articles including one on the Boraginaceae of Amazonia.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and tooth cleaner.
Varronia polycephala is widespread and well represented within protected areas. No major threats are known to be present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2014)[
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 macerated leaves are used as a fish poison[
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
].

Botanical References

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.
,
699
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 16
Publication
 
Author
Rehder A. (Editor)
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University: Boston.
Year
1935
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal containing several interesting articles including one on the Boraginaceae of Amazonia.

Range

S. America - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean.

Habitat

Marsh forests along creeks and rivers near the coast, also in primary and secondary rainforests on bauxite soils[
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

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The red fruit is about 5mm in diameter[
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.
].
Although we have seen no 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

The fruits are slightly laxative[
739
Title
Medicinal Plants of Brazil
Publication
 
Author
Mors W.B.; Rizzini C.T.; Pereira N.A.
Publisher
Reference Publications; Michigan.
Year
2000
ISBN
0-917256-42-5
Description
An extremely concise book, listing approximately 1,500 species and varieties of plants with their botanical name, common name in Brazil, regions in Brazil where the plant is found, a brief list of uses and any medically active compounds in the plant.
]. (As Cordia monosperma)

The leaves are analgesic and antiinflammatory. They are applied topically as a poultice[
1905
Title
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae)
Publication
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 69 (2017), pp. 755-789
Author
Oza M.J. & Kulkarni Y.A.
Website
http://10.1111/jphp.12715
Publisher
 
Year
2017
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. (As Cordia corymbosa)

Other Uses

The wood, or the stems, are used for scrubbing the teeth[
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
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Varronia+polycephala>

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