Pterocarpus rohrii
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Fabaceae
Central and southern Central America, northern and central South America.
Dense primary and secondary forests, sloping grounds. 11 meters tall, up to 1000 meters above sea level.
Ecological value:
Can be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland, is moderately fast-growing and adaptable to a variety of well-drained soil types. Fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Pollinated by insects. Reaches 2.5 meters in two years from seed.
Material uses:
The wood is white, light in weight, soft, with a low durability and susceptible to wood boring insects. It is used for interiors, frames, turning , boxes, doors, panels, rough construction. Most Pterocarpus woods have alcohol or water-soluble substances that can be used as dyes.
Edible uses:
Unspecified medicinal uses.
Medicinal use:
A decoction of the is used as a febrifuge in the Amazon area of Colombia, and is considered to be one of the most effective.
Other details:
Thrives in nitrogen-rich soil. Ornamental. Used as a poison. Several species of Pterocarpus, from Africa and Asia, provide ‘Padauk’ wood, which is valued for its toughness and are visually
similar to rosewoods.
Research:
Christine Facella
Sources:
“Pterocarpus Rohrii Vahl | 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:516561-1/general-information.
“Pterocarpus Rohrii - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pterocarpus+rohrii.
Lorenzi. H., ‘Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition’, Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil, 2002
Chudnoff Martin., ‘Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607’, USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin., 1984
“Narra.” n.d. OneToTree. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://onetotree.org/narra/.
Image source: Tatters.