Heliocarpus mexicanus
(Turcz.) Sprague
Mexican heliocarpus
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(c) Neptalí Ramírez Marcial, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Neptalí Ramírez Marcial
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(c) Eric van den Berghe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A tropical tree in the Malvaceae family (formerly sometimes classified in Tiliaceae). It is native to tropical regions.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
Used as a spice.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Belize, Central America, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America,
Other Uses
The bark of the young branches yields a strong, durable fibre from which a coarse rope is made. It is used also for weaving mats and baskets. The mucilage of the bark is sometimes utilized for clarifying the syrup when making sugar. The wood is soft and light in weight. It is used for floats and bottle-stoppers. Because of its lightness it has also been used for making rafts.
Notes
These have also been in the Tiliaceae.
Synonyms
References (1)
- Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)
