Catostemma fragrans
Benth.
Sand baromalli
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Nils Servientis - Bivouac Naturaliste, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nils Servientis - Bivouac Naturaliste
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Nils Servientis - Bivouac Naturaliste, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A tree. It grows 15-30 m tall. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The twigs are covered with hairs. The leaves are alternate and clustered at the ends of small branches. The leaf blades are leathery and narrowly oval. They are 7-23 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. They can have some hairs underneath. The seedlings have simple leaves. The flowering shoots are in clusters in the axils of leaves. The flowers have a sweet scent. The flowers are tube shaped and the petals are white. The fruit is a woody capsule that is dull orange or rusty brown. It is oval and 4-10 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. It is densely velvet with ribs along it. There is one seed. This is orange and 5-7 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. The seed wall is fleshy and edible.
Edible Uses
The fleshy seed wall is eaten.
Medicinal Uses
A decoction of the bark is used as a wash for the treatment of fevers.
Known Hazards
None mentioned.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in forest often on white sand.
Where It Grows
French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, South America, Suriname,
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed.
Other Uses
The heartwood is a dull yellowish-brown to pinkish-brown colour; it is distinctly but not sharply demarcated from the lighter yellowish-brown sapwood, which is often discoloured by sap-stain fungi. The grain is straight; the texture coarse; growth rings are not distinct; there is no distinctive odour or taste. An unusual feature of this wood is the presence of streaks of varying lengths on the longitudinal surfaces and as concentric arcs on the end-grain. The wood is soft light to medium-weight; not durable in contact with the soil. It works easily with machine or hand tools; the timber has only a moderate blunting effect, although the numerous bands of resin in the wood ducts may cause chipping of the planing and moulding knives. The wood requires a considerable amount of filler but can be stained and polished satisfactorily, although not to a high lustre. It takes glue well and can be nailed without splitting. The wood is reported to be suitable for both dry and wet cooperage, interior work, box shock, paper pulp, utility plywood, and light construction. Good quality molasses barrels were made of baromalli at Barbados for a short period when imported barrels were not available. The results of mechanical tests indicate this wood may be suitable for tool handles and certain sports equipment. It is also considered a prospective timber for inexpensive furniture.
Production
It flowers are fruit almost all year round in Guyana.
Notes
In the subfamily Bombacoideae.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Adarouna, Adaurona, Aganananga, Baramanni, Baramilli, Baromalli, Kamatana, Koron, Mankobe, Paku, Simana
References (2)
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 110
- Polak, A. M., 1992, Major Timber Trees of Guyana. A Field Guide. Tropenbos Series 2. Wageningen. p 67
