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Useful Tropical Plants

Vitex gaumeri

Greenm.

Lamiaceae

+ Synonyms

Vitex longiracemosa Pittier

Common Name:

Vitex gaumeri
Looking up the trunk into the canopy
Photograph by: Leonora Enking
Creative Commons License
Vitex gaumeri Vitex gaumeri Vitex gaumeri Vitex gaumeri

General Information

Vitex gaumeri is a tree with a broad, spreading crown. It can grow from 4 - 30 metres tall with the smaller specimens generally to the north of its range. The bole can be up to 75cm in diameter, with reports of some plants being 180cm in diameter[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
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.
,
964
Title
New or Noteworthy Spermatophytes from Mexico, Central America and the West Indies
Publication
Field Colombian Museum Botanical Series Vol. 2, No. 6 (Publication No. 126)
Author
Greenman J. M.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum; Chicago
Year
1907
ISBN
 
Description
Descriptions of plants new to science (in 1907). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood.
There may be some local threats to Vitex gaumeri from habitat loss but globally it is not considered to be significantly threatened when considering its large extent of occurrence; the number of known localities; and that it can grow in various types of vegetation. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[
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

None known

Botanical References

331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
964
Title
New or Noteworthy Spermatophytes from Mexico, Central America and the West Indies
Publication
Field Colombian Museum Botanical Series Vol. 2, No. 6 (Publication No. 126)
Author
Greenman J. M.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Field Museum; Chicago
Year
1907
ISBN
 
Description
Descriptions of plants new to science (in 1907). It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

C. America - Nicaragua to southern Mexico

Habitat

Damp forests, often on limestone, occasional on pine ridges and in poor soil, sometimes in more open areas of secondary growth; at elevations from sea level to 600 metres[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height20.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The fruit has a sweet flavour[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
]. This report does not say that the fruit is edible, though many species in this genus do have edible fruits[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are used in the treatment of asthma and colds[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

The plant (part not specified) is sometimes used in the treatment of conditions such as ulcers, abscesses and the bites of mosquitoes. It is said to serve as an antimalarial[
1565
Title
Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
].

Other Uses

The wood is tough[
493
Title
Flora of Yucatan
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
The first flora that was attempted for this area in 1930, so it is obviously lacking information and the Botanical names can be out of date. Still, an excellent work and it records many plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is very difficult to split. It is somewhat difficult to season, with a moderate amount of crook and checking[
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
]. The wood is used for the construction of carts, boats, and agricultural implements[
493
Title
Flora of Yucatan
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
The first flora that was attempted for this area in 1930, so it is obviously lacking information and the Botanical names can be out of date. Still, an excellent work and it records many plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
We have no more information on the wood for this species. However, we have a general description for the wood of S. American species of this genus, which is as follows:-
The heartwood is variable according to the species, ranging from yellowish-brown through deep brown, olive-green or olive-brown; it is usually not sharply demarcated from the whitish, yellow, or pale brown sapwood. The texture is rather fine to moderately coarse; the grain straight, sometimes irregular; lustre ranges from low to high; there is no distinctive odour or taste. A silica content of 0.76% is reported. Depending on the species, durability varies from moderately durable to very durable when exposed to a white-rot and brown-rot fungus. Actual field exposures show some species as durable and others as susceptible to attack by decay fungi and insects. Reports are also variable on seasoning, material from Panama had a moderate drying rate and no appreciable defects. The wood is easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though there is some tearing if grain is irregular; it takes a high polish. It is used for purposes such as furniture, millwork, veneer and plywood, general carpentry, mallet heads, chisel handles and flooring[
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-03. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vitex+gaumeri>

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