Apocynaceae FAMILY Near Threatened

Aspidosperma megalocarpon

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The freshly cut wood and sap of Aspidosperma species causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, with general malaise[ 407 Title BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) Publication Author Website http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin. ]. The sawdust, on contact with abraded skin, produces local burning and a vesicular eruption with general symptoms of muscular weakness and cramps, sweating, dryness of the mouth, and faintness[ 407 Title BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) Publication Author Website http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin. ]. Once the wood is thoroughly dry it loses its toxicity unless polishes or dyes in organic solvents are used on it[ 407 Title BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) Publication Author Website http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin. ]

Botanical Description

Aspidosperma megalocarpon is an evergreen tree that can grow 7 - 30 metres tall. The bole can be free of branches for most of its height and 20 - 80cm 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/ , 409 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 38 Publication Author Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 1951 ISBN Description An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains part of the Flora of Panama and a revision of the genus Aspidosperma, amongst other things. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. The wood, known as 'araracanga' is very strong and durable, it is commonly harvested from the wild and exported. General habitat losses have been considerable in the last 50 years. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeNorthern S. America - northern Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Mexico.

HabitatLowland forest[ 409 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 38 Publication Author Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 1951 ISBN Description An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains part of the Flora of Panama and a revision of the genus Aspidosperma, amongst other things. ]. Wet forests on mountains[ 512 Title Flora of the Lancetilla Valley, Honduras. Publication Author Standley P.C. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago. Year 1931 ISBN Description Rather short on details at times, which is not surprising since so little information was available at the time. Still a useful flora. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. Dense, dry forests, and also in river bottom forests[ 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/ ].