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Useful Tropical Plants

Vismia guianensis

(Aubl.) Choisy

Hypericaceae

+ Synonyms

Caopia acuminata (Lam.) Kuntze

Caopia guianensis (Aubl.) A. Lyons

Hypericum acuminatum Lam.

Hypericum guianense Aubl.

Vismia acuminata (Lam.) Pers.

Vismia baccifera ferruginea (Kunth) Ewan

Vismia caparosa Kunth

Vismia ferruginea Kunth

Common Name:

Vismia guianensis
Inflorescence
Photograph by: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil
Creative Commons License
Vismia guianensis Vismia guianensis

General Information

Vismia guianensis is a shrub or tree with a spreading crown growing up to 9 metres tall[
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad; Central America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua.

Habitat

Found especially as an understorey tree in secondary rainforest, it is also found in primary rainforest and on savannahs[
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

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *
HabitTree
Height6.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A latex obtained from the plant is antifungal, antipruritic, purgative and vulnerary[
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
]. It is applied externally to speed healing and bring relief in the treatment of a range of skin problems including itching; warts; fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm; injuries and infections such as persistent sores, ulcers, minor cuts and bruises[
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
].
The latex obtained from the fruit is used to treat yaws and leishmaniasis[
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
].

The juice from the macerated bark is used as an anti-infective agent and to treat sores[
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
].

The leaves and stems are boiled together and then drunk as a treatment for thrush and intermittent fevers[
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
].

The plant contains the terpene phellandrene; flavonoids; coumarins; and rodoxantin[
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
].
The fruit contains ferruginin A; delta-hydroxyferruginin A; and delta-y-dihydroxyferruginin A[
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
].

Other Uses

Although we have seen no specific information for this species, plants in this genus usually have a reddish to dark brown heartwood with a pinkish brown sapwood that often has a greyish cast, The wood is medium to fairly coarse textured; moderately light to medium in weight; inclined to be fibrous; brittle; easy to work; takes a fairly lustrous or lustrous finish; and is moderately durable[
453
Title
Woods of Northeastern Peru
Publication
 
Author
Williams L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum Press; Chicago.
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Because of its generally small size and low quality, it is only used locally - sometimes as a timber but more commonly for fuel[
453
Title
Woods of Northeastern Peru
Publication
 
Author
Williams L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum Press; Chicago.
Year
1936
ISBN
 
Description
Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vismia+guianensis>

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