Poulsenia armata - Poulsenia
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Moraceae
Parts of Central America and northern South America.
Wet forests. Up to 2350 meters above sea level. 20 meter tall tree.
Ecological value:
Fruit consumed by red spider monkeys from Mexico to Bolivia. Flowers and fruits throughout the year, especially during the dry and early rainy seasons.
Material uses:
The inner bark is thick and composed of numerous layers of strong crossed fibers which are soaked in water and then beaten into a rough fabric that has been used in hammocks, blankets and women’s clothing. The wood is not durable and has a high silica content (7.3%) but is used for construction, crates and veneers.
Edible uses:
Ripe fruit can be eaten raw. Fruits occasionally found at markets.
Medicinal use:
N/A Unspecified medicinal uses.
Other details:
Poulsenia armata is the only species in the genus Poulsenia. Used as animal fodder.
Research:
Jiahuan Cheng/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Poulsenia Armata (Miq.) Standl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1059330-2/general-information.
“Poulsenia Armata - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Poulsenia+armata.
Uphof. J. C. Th., ‘Dictionary of Economic Plants’, Weinheim, 1959
Chudnoff Martin., ‘Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607’, USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin., 1984
Image sources: Luis Humberto Vicente-Rivera, Jorge L. Peña.