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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 10 - 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/
,
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 tree is harvested from the wild for its wood.

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

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height20.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood 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.
].
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. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vitex+gaumeri>

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