Virola surinamensis

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Virola surinamensis
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Myristicaceae
Genus: Virola
Species: V. surinamensis
Binomial name
Virola surinamensis
(Rol. ex Rottb.) Warb.[1]
Synonyms
  • Myristica surinamensis[2] Rol. ex Rottb.
  • Myristica fatua[2]
  • Palala surinamensis[2]
  • Virola glaziovii fatua[2]
  • Palala surinamensis[2]
  • Virola glaziovii[2]

Virola surinamensis (also called Baboonwood and Wild nutmeg) is a species of plant in the Myristicaceae family. It is found in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It has also been naturalized in the Caribbean.[2] Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Virola surinamensis grows 25–40 m tall.[2] The leaves are 10–22 cm long and 2–5 cm wide.[2] The fruits are ellipsoidal to subglobular, measuring about 13–21 mm long and 11–18 mm in diameter.[2]

Uses

The tree has good wood and it is used industrially because of this.[2] Traditionally, the tree were used to treat worms of the intestine.[2] The Amazon Indians Waiãpi living in the West of Amapá State of Brazil, treat malaria with an inhalation of vapor obtained from leaves of Viola surinamensis.[3]

Virola surinamensis is popularly known as "mucuíba", "ucuuba" or "ucuúba do igapó"

The fruit contains lauric acid (78,000-115,000 ppm).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Virola surinamensis information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 2008-04-04. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 "Translated version of http://www.plantes-botanique.be/e2-Myristicaceae-Virola-peruviana". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2008-04-30. 
  3. ↑ Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 67, Issue 3, 30 November 1999, Pages 313-319

Other references

  • Americas Regional Workshop (Conservation & Sustainable Management of Trees, Costa Rica) 1998.

External links


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