Apeiba membranacea - Cortezo
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Malvaceae
South America, Central America - Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Humid forests in plains and foothills. Up to 1100 meters above sea level. 20 meter tall tree.
Ecological value:
Often found in secondary forests. Genus is found throughout tropical America (10 species) and in the West Indies.
Material uses:
Wood, light in weight and of low durability. Light yellow in color. Used in construction, crates and packaging, in plywood and floating devices. Oil from sees can be used in polishes or for skin care. Course fiber is obtained from bark from other species in this genus.
Edible uses:
Unspecified food source.
Medicinal use:
Unspecified medicinal uses.
Other details:
This genus belongs to the Malvaceae family, in which most species are pollinated by insects. Bees in the tribe Emphorini of the Apidae are known to specialize on Malvaceae species, including bees Ptilothrix, Diadasia, and Melitoma.
Research:
Jin Young Lee/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Apeiba Membranacea Spruce Ex Benth. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 29, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:833266-1/general-information.
“Apeiba Membranacea - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 29, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Apeiba+membranacea.
Image source: Steven Paton