Accession #: 200500043
Accession Date: 2005-06-16
Common name: Cocora
Family: Meliaceae
Synonym(s):
Country of Origin: Ecuador
Description: Young branches often canaliculate, usually minutely appressed puberulent less frequently sparsely to densely softly pubescent, soon becoming glabrous, brown to greyish-brown, without lenticels. Leaves pinnate with a terminal bud showing some intermittent growth, rarely unifoliolate, 7.5-35(-100) cm long; petiole semi-terete, rhachis canaliculate above, appressed puberulous or less frequently pubescent becoming glabrous; petiolule (1-)2-5(-10) mm long. Leaflets 2-6(-10) pairs, broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, apex obtusely cuspidate to short or long attenuate less frequently acuminate, obtuse, or rounded, base acute, cuneate, or attenuate rarely rounded or truncate, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, (10-) 15-25(-34)[18.7] cm long, (3.5-)5-10(-20)[7.9] cm broad, usually glabrous less frequently lower surface sparsely to densely puberulous or softly pubescent (erect hairs), usually obscurely glandular-punctate and -striate; venation eucamptodromous, midrib flat; secondaries 8-12(-24) on either side of midrib, ascending, arcuate above, ± parallel or slightly convergent; intersecondaries absent or if present then short and inconspicuous; tertiaries widely spaced and obscure. Inflorescence usually axillary, occasionally supra-axillary or lateral on young wood, indeterminate with intermittent growth from apex, (1-)3.5-25(-30) cm long, a slender to broadly pyramidal thyrse with lower branches to 12 cm long, minutely appressed puberulous to sparsely or densely pubescent. Pedicel (1-)2-3(-4) mm. Calyx cyathiform to patelliform, 1.5-3(-5) mm long, with (3-)4 irregularly rounded, obtuse or less frequently acute lobes, 0.5-2.5 mm long or margin ± truncate, sparsely appressed puberulous outside. Petals (3-)4, valvate, (6-)7-12(-13.5) mm long, 1.5-4(-4.5) mm broad, oblong to lanceolate, apex acute and often hooded, densely appressed puberulous or appressed pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Staminal tube often slightly narrowed at apex, 5.5-10 mm long, (1.5-)2-3(-4) mm broad, margin truncate, undulate, or crenulate, glabrous or sparsely to moderately appressed puberulous outside, glabrous inside; anthers (7-)8(-10), (1-) 1.2-1.8 (-2) mm long. Nectary broadly stipitate, sometimes expanded to form an annulus below ovary, 0.5-2.5(-3) mm long, glabrous. Ovary ovoid, (3-)4-locular, loculi with 2 superposed ovules (Cuatrecasas 13155 from Colombia has uniovulate loculi), glabrous or rarely sparsely strigose; style glabrous. Capsule ellipsoid to globose sometimes ± quadrangular in section or often irregularly shaped, apex rounded to acute sometimes apiculate, base acute to rounded sometimes with a very short stout stipe, smooth or rarely obscurely verrucose, usually with large pale lenticels, glabrous, 1.5-4.5(-7.5) cm long, 1.5-3.5(-6.5) cm broad, 4-valved, valves with 2 superposed seeds; pericarp 1-4 mm thick, leathery. Seeds 1-2, ellipsoid when solitary or when superposed then upper truncate at base and lower at apex, to 2.5 cm long, 1.8 cm broad, surrounded by a fleshy sarcotesta thickened on adaxial surface; seed coat thick, woody. Hilum large, extending length and breadth of adaxial surface. Embryo with thick plano-convex, superposed cotyledons; radicle abaxial, extending to surface.7
Uses: The juice of the crushed bark of this tree is used in Ecuador in the treatment of malaria. It is also used to treat post-natal depression and reputed to be good for the treatment of asthma.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Plant Uses are for informational purposes only. EEB Greenhouses assume no responsibility for adverse effects from the use of any plants referred to on this site. Always seek advice from a professional before using any plant medicinally.
USDA Zone: 9-11?
Source: Tom Lemieux - UC Boulder
Provenance:
Grown from seed - wild collected by Tom Lemieux #2179, B45 18Jan01. UC-Boulder# 01.052
Restrictions:
Culture: