Vismia latifolia
(Aubl.) Choisy
Hypericaceae
Caopia latifolia (Aubl.) Kuntze
Hypericum latifolium Aubl.
Common Name:
General Information
Vismia latifolia is a tree with a spreading crown; it can grow up to 18 metres tall.
The tree is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Surinam, Guyana.
Habitat
Found especially in secondary forest and on the edge of rainforests[
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 |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the moist, mainly lowland tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 850 metres.
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
An exudate (this probably refers to the latex[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]) is used in the treatment of skin ailments and to relieve itching[
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 also taken internally as a purgative[
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 inner bark, which produces an orange latex, is applied onto skin infections[
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
].
A latex obtained from the fruit is used for treating 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
].
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 -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
