Haematoxylium brasiletto - Mexican logwood
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Fabaceae
Central America, Colombia and Venezuela.
Dry rocky brushy hillsides 10-1200 meters above sea level. 3 meter shrub.
Ecological value:
Has a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria that form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen which can be shared with neighboring plants. Requires full sun and grows in a range off soil types. Attracts bees and other insects.
Material uses:
The wood is the source of a red dye, which is used locally and exported. Very hard wood, but small for timber use. Used to make bows for instruments. Wood is strong and hard, but brittle and as it is so small, is only used locally for small items.
Edible uses:
No record on this species.
Medicinal use:
A decoction or infusion of the plant is employed in Guatemala for
treating erysipelas and inflammation of the stomach. Tea against tuberculosis and dysentery.
Other details:
Can grow up to 10 meters. Closely related to Haematoxylum campechianum. There are 5 species in this genus, 4 native to the Americas and one native to Africa.
Grows in drier regions of the American tropics.
Research:
Alex Anez Folla/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Haematoxylum Brasiletto H.Karst. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:497227-1.
“Haematoxylum Brasiletto - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Haematoxylum+brasiletto.
Uphof. J. C. Th., ‘Dictionary of Economic Plants’, Weinheim, 1959
Huxley. A., ‘The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992’, MacMillan Press, 1992
Image source: Dick Culbert.