Robrichia schomburgkii - Guabino
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Fabaceae
Central America and northern and central South America.
Tropical rainforest, in dry lowland forests, hillsides, 80-700 meters above sea level. 25 meter tall tree.
Ecological value:
Has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria which form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen which can be shared with nearby plants. A sub canopy tree, succeeds in fairly dense shade and full sun. Prefers fertile soil.
Material uses:
Good quality, hard and heavy wood that is fairly durable and resistant to fungi and wood-boring insects. Used in furniture and cabinetry, flooring, in tools, frames, boat building etc. Saw dust might cause allergies. Widely exploited from the wild.
Edible uses:
No record on this species.
Medicinal use:
No record on this species.
Other details:
Differs from Enterolobium cyclocarpum as it has smaller and smoother seed-pods as well as smaller and denser leaflets. The wood is also reportedly denser. Used as animal fodder. Formerly Enterolobium schomburgkii.
Research:
Ellen Rust/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Robrichia Schomburgkii (Benth.) A.R.M.Luz & E.R.Souza | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed December 21, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77301636-1/general-information.
“Enterolobium Schomburgkii - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed December 21, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Enterolobium+schomburgkii.
“Robrichia Schomburgkii.” 2023. Wikipedia. August 24, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robrichia_schomburgkii.
Lorenzi. H., ‘Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition’, Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil, 2002
Image source: Caranpaima