Hyeronima alchorneoides - Bully Tree
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Euphorbiaceae
Central and southern Central America, northern and central South America.
Moist or wet forest, seasonal marshes. 0-1580 meters above sea level. 25 meters tall.
Ecological value:
Grows well in poor, acidic and waterlogged soils. Suitable to use for re-vegetation of degraded lands. Fast growth rate: up to 5 meters in 3 years. Pollinated by insects.
Fruit eaten by monkeys and birds.
Material uses:
The bark is a good source of tannins for natural dyes, producing a dark
reddish brown color. Almost exclusively used for making boats. Highly durable, also used in
veneers, cabinetry, and flooring.
Edible uses:
No record on this species.
Medicinal use:
The bark has properties that is used as a cough suppressant and the
seeds have oils that are used for intestinal parasites.
Other details:
This tree can self pruning because the upper canopy provides shade enough for the lower branches. Roots are very fragile. This tree is considered an evergreen. Typically flowers and fruits twice a year.
Research:
Aria Shehas/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Hieronyma Alchorneoides Allemão | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:350066-1.
“Hieronyma Alchorneoides - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hieronyma+alchorneoides.
Image source: Tarciso Leão