Protium warmingianum
Marchand
(c) Geovane Siqueira, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Geovane Siqueira, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Geovane Siqueira, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
A succulent, sweet-tasting aril surrounds the seed. This report does not say that the fruit is edible, but it is likely to be since several other members of the genus have edible fruits. It is rather small though, the almost black, globose fruits are only 25mm in diameter.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It usually grows in the rainforest.
Brazil, South America,
How to Identify
A tree. It grows 10-20 m tall. The crown is rounded. The trunk is straight and 30-40 cm across. The fruit are round and black and 25 mm across.
How to Grow
Succeeds in full sun and in dappled shade. Plants have a moderate rate of growth. Most, if not all, species in this genus are dioecious, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 90 - 120 days.
Medicinal Uses
An aromatic resin obtained from the trunk has medicinal uses.
Other Uses
A resin is obtained from the trunk. It has medicinal uses The wood is fine-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, easy to cut, with a low resistance to wood-eating organisms. It is used for making simple furniture, door and window frames, moldings, wainscots etc. We have no more information on the wood of this species, but a general description of the wood for tropical American members of this genus is as follows:- The heartwood is brown or reddish-brown, sometimes with irregularly spaced darker brown lines; it is not always sharply demarcated from the pale buff to pinkish sapwood. The texture varies from rather fine to fairly coarse; grain straight to very irregular and interlocked; lustre is rather high; dry specimens are without any distinctive odour or taste. Silica is reported for some species. The wood is generally reported to have a low resistance to attack by decay fungi and is vulnerable to dry-wood termites; it has no appreciable resistance to marine borers. Reports on seasoning vary from fairly easy to air dry to moderately difficult. Logs should be debarked prior to sawing to avoid resin accumulation on cutters and equipment. The dry wood works easily and rates fair to good in all operations; it cuts easily into veneers but tends to buckle on drying; some species are abrasive because of the silica content. The wood is used for purposes such as furniture, millwork, veneer and plywood, general construction, particleboard; it is a possible substitute for birch.
Names & Synonyms
References (1)
- Fern, K. Useful Tropical Plants
