Guazuma ulmifolia

Guazuma ulmifolia, commonly known as West Indian elm or bay cedar, is a medium-sized tree normally found in pastures and disturbed forests. This flowering plant from the family Malvaceae grows up to 30m in height and 30–40 cm in diameter. It is widely found in areas such as the Caribbean, South America, Central America and Mexico serving several uses that vary from its value in carpentry to its utility in medicine.

Description

A tall tree. It loses its leaves during the year. The bark is grey-brown and rough and cracked. The tree grows 12-20 m high. The crown is irregular and the branches droop. The leaves are 6-20 cm long and are unequal at the base. Leaves are hairy and have irregular teeth. The flowers occur in clusters. They are about 5 mm wide and yellow. They have 5 petals and a woolly appearance. There are thread like appendages at the top of the flowers. The fruit is a capsule which is round and green but turns black when ripe. The fruit is edible. There are several oval seeds in a sweet, edible, mucilage layer.

Edible Uses

The seeds are edible fresh or cooked and are about 3 mm long. The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked — when eaten green they can be crushed in water to make a beverage or used to flavour other foods. The fruit has a honey-scented aroma.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit capsule is eaten. The fruit is rich in mucilage. The green fruits are eaten raw, cooked, crushed in water to make a drink or used to flavour other foods. The sap is used to clarify syrup in the making of sugar.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antitussive, antiviral, astringent, a blood purifier, cardiac, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, febrifuge, haemostatic, hypotensive, oxytocic, and vulnerary. The bark is rich in tannins and proanthocyanidins; one in particular, procyanidin B-2, has been shown in studies to promote hair growth and alleviate baldness, and has demonstrated antitumor and anticancer effects (including against melanoma), blood pressure-lowering activity, and kidney protection. The bark also contains kaurenoic acid, documented in numerous studies for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. The leaves contain caffeine, though none has been found in the bark. Studies have shown the plant lowers heart rate and blood pressure, relaxes smooth muscles, and stimulates the uterus. Leaf and bark extracts have shown strong antibacterial activity against Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, E. coli, and Neisseria gonorrhea, as well as antioxidant effects confirmed in a 2003 study and antiviral activity demonstrated in a 1995 in vitro study. The bark is the part most commonly used: as a diaphoretic, tonic, and blood cleanser, and for digestive problems (gastrointestinal pain, liver complaints, diarrhoea, and dysentery), urinary and reproductive issues (kidney problems, uterine pain, prostate problems, venereal disease, and as a childbirth aid), respiratory complaints (asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and pneumonia), fevers, and haemorrhages. Applied externally it is used to bathe wounds, rashes, and sores; to treat skin conditions including dermatosis, elephantiasis, and leprosy; and applied to the scalp to arrest hair loss and combat scalp parasites. The fruit in Mauritius, roasted seeds in Java, and bark in India are used as officinal remedies against elephantiasis. An infusion of seeds crushed and soaked in water treats diarrhoea, dysentery, colds, coughs, and venereal diseases, and is also used as a diuretic and astringent.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It is native to tropical America. It will grow on poor soils. It grows from sea level to 1,200 m in the tropics. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall below 1,200 mm. It can grow in arid places. Madras. At ECHO.

Where It Grows

Africa, Amazon, Antigua and Barbuda, Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil*, Caribbean, Central America, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Guianas, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Leeward Is., Malaysia, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico*, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru*, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. It is considered that seeds which have passed through an animals digestive tract grow more easily. Seeds are soaked in water at 90°C for 4 minutes then in cool water for 24 hours. Seedlings can be transplanted after 7 months. It can be grown from cuttings.

Propagation

Seed requires scarification before sowing — pour boiling water over the seeds, soak for 30 seconds, then drain. With fresh seed, germination occurs in 7–14 days at a rate of 60–80%. Seedlings are ready for outplanting at 30–40 cm tall, approximately 15 weeks after sowing. The plant can also be established by direct seeding. Cuttings are also used.

Other Uses

A natural pioneer species that colonises recently disturbed areas, this fast-growing tree tolerates full sunlight and provides food for native fauna, making it useful for restoring native woodland — though it is best kept within its native range. The tough, fibrous bark and young stems are used to make rope and twine. The mucilaginous sap is sometimes used in sugar production to clarify syrup. The heartwood is pinkish to brownish and not clearly separated from the light brown sapwood; the texture is coarse with a straight to interlocked grain, medium lustre, and no distinctive taste or odour. The wood is light in weight, not durable, and very susceptible to dry-wood termites, but easy to work and well-finishing. It is used for posts, interior carpentry, light construction, furniture, boxes, crates, shoe horns, and tool handles. The tree is also used for fuel and charcoal production, with the charcoal being of high quality.

Production

It is fast growing. The fruit remain on the tree for long periods.

Notes

There are 4 Guazuma species in tropical America. Parts of the tree are used in medicine. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Acashti, Algodon de ceibo, Ajilla, A'jijati, Bay cedar, Bucha, Chico-magro, Cuahulote, Debodaru, Embiru, Guacimo, Guasima, Guasimo, Guazumo, Mutamba, Mutambo, Nepaltunth, Nepal-tuth, Nipaltunth, Pohon jati belanda, Pohon jatilondo, Radraksha, Rudrakscha chettu, Rudrasum, Tenbachai, Thene-chettu, Thenmaram, Tubakki, Udrikpatta, Uttharasham

References (53)

• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 2784
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 250
• Bandyopadhyay, S. et al, 2009, Wild edible plants of Koch Bihar district, West Bengal. Natural Products Radiance 8(1) 64-72
• Bandyopadhyay, S., et al, 2012, A Census of Wild Edible Plants from Howrah District, West Bengal, India. Proceedings of UGC sponsored National Seminar 2012
• Bortolotto, I. M., et al, 2015, Knowledge and use of wild edible plants in rural communities along Paraguay River, Pantanal, Brazil. Journal or Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 11:46

More from Malvaceae

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii

Wax mallow, Miniature sleeping Hibiscus

Malvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanus

Mexican malvaviscus

Malvaviscus concinnus

Malvella sherardiana

Matisia alata

Winged matisia

Matisia bicolor

Sapota macho, Machin zapote