Hymenaea courbaril

Hymenaea courbaril
"Brazilian Cherry" redirects here. For another use, see Eugenia uniflora.
Jatobá
Hymenaea courbaril
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Hymenaea
Species: H. courbaril
Binomial name
Hymenaea courbaril
L.

Hymenaea courbaril (Jatobá or Guapinol) is a tree common to the Caribbean, Central, and South America. It is a hardwood that is used for furniture, flooring and decorative purposes.

Although Jatoba is sometimes referred to as Brazilian Cherry or South American Cherry, it is not a cherry tree. Depending on the locale, Jatobá is also known as Brazilian Copal, South American Locust, or the West Indian Locust. It is also known as Stinking Toe, Old Man's Toe or Stinktoe[1] because of the unpleasant odor of the edible pulp inside its seed pods.[2][3]

Jatoba produces an orange, resinous, sticky gum that converts to amber through a chemical process that requires millions of years. Amber of million-year-old Hymenaea trees have provided scientists with many clues to its prehistoric presence on Earth as well as to the often extinct insects and plants encased in it,[citation needed] as shown in the Jurassic Park films.

Jatoba is a very hard wood measuring 5.6 on the Brinell scale or 2,350 lbf (10,500 N) on the Janka scale, approximate measurements of hardness. For comparison, Douglas Fir measures 660 lbf (2,900 N), White Oak 1,360 lbf (6,000 N), and Brazilian Walnut 3,800 lbf (17,000 N) on the Janka scale.

Jatoba wood features a tan/salmon color with black accent stripes that over time turns to a deep rich red color.

  • Illustration from an 1891 book (Natürliche Pflanzenfamilien. Vol. III, 3).

  • 200-year-old Jatobá in Mococa, Brazil.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Mesoamerican Copal Resins from Brian Stross at the University of Texas at Austin
  2. ^ Worldwide weird: Bite into a stinking toe from BBC Travel
  3. ^ Stinking Toe from StJohnBeachGuide.com

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hymenaea courbaril — Courbaril Courbaril …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Hymenaea courbaril —   Guapinol …   Wikipedia Español

  • Hymenaea courbaril — brazilinis kopalmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Cezalpinijinių šeimos medieninis, maistinis, vaisinis, vaistinis, medingas augalas (Hymenaea courbaril), paplitęs Centrinėje ir Pietų Amerikoje. Iš jo gaunami lipai, naudojamas gėrimams… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Hymenaea courbaril — noun West Indian locust tree having pinnate leaves and panicles of large white or purplish flowers; yields very hard tough wood • Syn: ↑courbaril • Hypernyms: ↑locust tree, ↑locust • Member Holonyms: ↑Hymenaea, ↑genus Hymenaea …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hymenaea courbaril — ID 41526 Symbol Key HYCO Common Name stinkingtoe Family Fabaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution PR, VI Growth Habit Tree Duration …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Hymenaea Courbaril — Locust tree Lo cust tree . [Etymol. uncertain.] (Bot.) A large North American tree of the genus {Robinia} ({Robinia Pseudacacia}), producing large slender racemes of white, fragrant, papilionaceous flowers, and often cultivated as an ornamental… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hymenaea Courbaril — Copal Co pal (k[=o] pal; 277), [Sp., fr. Mexican copalli, a generic name of resins. Clavigero.] A resinous substance flowing spontaneously from trees of Zanzibar, Madagascar, and South America ({Trachylobium Hornemannianum}, {Trachylobium… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hymenaea courbaril — Anim e A ni*m[ e], n. [F. anim[ e] animated (from the insects that are entrapped in it); or native name.] A resin exuding from a tropical American tree ({Hymen[ae]a courbaril}), and much used by varnish makers. Ure. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hymenaea Courbaril — L. Courbaril (E); Stinking toe (E); West Indian locust (E); Algarrobo (S); Guapinal (C); Nazareno (C) . The malodorous pulp around the seeds of this honey tree is edible. Mixed with water to for a beverage, it may be fermented. Copal is… …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

  • Hymenaea courbaril — …   Википедия

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