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Useful Tropical Plants

Vismia macrophylla

Kunth

Hypericaceae

+ Synonyms

Caopia macrophylla (Kunth) Kuntze

Hypericum reticulatum Poir.

Vismia angusta Miq.

Vismia reticulata (Poir.) Choisy

Common Name:

Vismia macrophylla
Flowering branch
Photograph by: Reinaldo Aguilar
Creative Commons License
Vismia macrophylla Vismia macrophylla Vismia macrophylla Vismia macrophylla Vismia macrophylla

General Information

Vismia macrophylla is a tree with a spreading crown growing up to 10 metres tall.
The tree is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala

Habitat

Edges of rainforests and along the sides of rivers[
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.
]. Wooded slopes in Venezuela at elevations from 1,065 - 1,220 metres[
592
Title
Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
Publication
 
Author
Steyermark J.A. Et al
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
Year
1951 - 1957
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *
HabitTree
Height8.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A tree of moderate elevations in the moist tropics.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The inner bark is antifungal[
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 boiled, and the water drunk as an antidiarrhoeal[
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
].
Used externally, the powdered inner bark is inserted into the vagina as a treatment for genital herpes or for syphilis[
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 macerated inner bark is used for treating yeast infections and fungal 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
].

The inner bark and latex are used together as an anti-fungal[
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 orange latex from inner bark is antifungal. It is applied externally to treat a wide range of conditions that affect the skin including measles, ulcers, bush yaws, ringworm, athlete's foot, genital herpes, eczema, itching etc[
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 in 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
].

The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea[
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 of Vismia spp. contains anthracene derivatives such as vismin, ferruginins A and B, haruganin and ferruanthrone. Species from Amazonian also contain vismiaquinone[
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+macrophylla>

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