Common Name:

General Information

Vitex orinocensis is a shrub or tree, often with many trunks and an irregular, rounded crown; usually growing 8 - 18 metres tall. The bole can be 18 - 25cm in diameter[, ].
The tree yields a timber and an edible fruit, which are used locally.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Light forests, the edges of woods, non-inundated land, savannahs, swampy places, granite, and the sides of streams at elevations up to 500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. A sweet flavour, but a rancid smell[]. The light green to yellow fruit is about 1cm long[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is hard. It is used in construction[].
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[].

Propagation

Seed -

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