Varronia polycephala
Lam.
Boraginaceae
Cordia corymbosa (Desv.) G.Don
Cordia monosperma (Jacq.) Roem. & Schult.
Cordia polycephala (Lam.) I.M.Johnst.
Varronia corymbosa Desv.
Varronia monosperma Jacq.
Common Name:
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 Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
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 -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
