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Magnoliopsida
Andira inermis (W. Wright) Kunth ex DC.
EOL Text
Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure
Reasons: Native of southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Occasionally cultivated in s. Florida. In Puerto Rico common in all regions except the upper mountains, and most common on the lower southern slopes of the Cordillera (Little and Wadsworth 1964). This species is reported to be rather secure in most areas within its natural growth range but its conservation category in Benin is reported to be Rare, which means that it is at risk of becoming Endangered or Vulnerable if current adverse conditions persist (World Conservation Monitoring Center 1992 in Tree Talk 1994).
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| Rights holder/Author | Broaddus, Lynn, NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Andira+inermis |
Stem: Decoction of bark for a powerful anthelmintic, narcotic and purgative; inner bark scraped and used to treat snakebite. Seed: Burned for the smoke used for ridding a home of bats. Bitter, emetic, used as a vermifuge in French Guiana.
Uses: MEDICINE/DRUG, Building materials/timber
Comments: The wood, which has been on the market for a long time, is hard, heavy, strong, durable, and susceptible of a high polish. The bark is used together with the seeds as a purgative, vermifuge and narcotic, but in large doses it is a dangerous poison. The seeds are said to contain a poisonous alkaloid. The wood is used locallly for heavy construction, crossties, house framing, and exterior siding. Other suggested uses are turnery, furniture and cabinet work, parquet flooring, and decorative veneer. Particularly known in Costa Rica as a timber species (Alvarez, 1991).
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| Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Andira+inermis |
Andira inermis is a nitrogen-fixing tree native to the area from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America (Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil); it has been introduced to the Caribbean, the Antilles, Florida, and Africa. The tree has many names due to its wide distribution and multiple uses: it is also known as the cabbage bark (in Belize), almendro macho (in El Salvador), almendro de río or river almond (Honduras), bastard cabbage tree, cabbage angelin (USA), cabbage bark (USA), cabbage tree, carne asada (Costa Rica), guacamayo (Honduras), Jamaica cabbage tree, moca (Puerto Rico), partridge wood (USA), worm bark, or yellow cabbage tree.
The tree grows to approximately 35 metres in height and 0.7 metre in diameter. It is evergreen and unbuttressed and has a dense crown and pink flowers. It grows primarily in riparian zones in forests along rivers. It can also be found in drier areas, including roadsides, pastures, and woodlands.
The tree's wood is used for lumber, and its smooth gray bark reportedly has narcotic, laxative, and vermifuge properties.
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| Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andira_inermis&oldid=652697457 |
Guyana: batseed, bat seed. Guyana Arawak: kararo, koraro.
United States
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Unknown/Undetermined
Confidence: Confident
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Andira+inermis |
Global Range: Native of southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Occasionally cultivated in s. Florida. In Puerto Rico common in all regions except the upper mountains (Little and Wadsworth 1964). Found throughout the American tropics (Adams 1972).
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| Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Andira+inermis |
Perennial, Trees, Woody throughout, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets alternate or subopposite, Stipels present at base of leaflets, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Inflorescence panicles, Inflorescence axillary, Inflorescence terminal, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat irregular, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals red, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Banner petal suborbicular, broadly rounded, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Anthers versatile, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit orbicular to subglobose, Fruit fleshy, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 1-seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.
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| Rights holder/Author | Compiled from several sources by Dr. David Bogler, Missouri Botanical Garden in collaboration with the USDA NRCS NPDC |
| Source | http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ANIN |
Holotype for Andira chiricana Pittier
Catalog Number: US 677755
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Card file verified by examination of alleged type specimen
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): H. F. Pittier
Year Collected: 1911
Locality: David., Chiriquí, Panama, Central America
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| Rights holder/Author | This image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. Unless otherwise noted, this image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws. |
| Source | http://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/botany/?irn=2130825 |
Isolectotype for Andira microcarpa Griseb.
Catalog Number: US 2605879
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): C. Wright
Locality: Greater Antilles, Cuba, West Indies
- Isolectotype: Grisebach, A. H. R. 1861. Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | This image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. Unless otherwise noted, this image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws. |
| Source | http://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/botany/?irn=2094582 |