Salicaceae FAMILY

Casearia gossypiosperma

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The fruit is a capsute containing several seeds. Although the capsule of some species (and possibly also the seeds contained therein) is somewhat toxic, the fleshy aril surrounding the seeds is a different matter and in some species (see information below on edibility to see if this is one of them) is often eaten and is considered to be perfectly wholesome^{[1, PFAF]}.

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree

GrowthFast

Succeeds in sunny positions and in moderate shade^[2]. Grows in a wide range of soil conditions in the wild^[2]. Young plants are fast-growing^[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Only just cover the seed and then cover the seedbed with oakum bags until germination takes place, which should be within 15 - 30 days^[2]. The seed has a viability of less than 90 days in storage^[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Casearia+gossypiosperma>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

[1]Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North, — Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M. · 2014 ↩︎A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
[2]Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-17-8 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
[3]O Gênero Casearia Jacq. No Brasil — Marquete R. & Mansana V.F. · 2016 ↩︎
[4]Pharmacological Evaluation of Hexane Fraction of Casearia gossypiosperma Briquet: Antivenom Potentiality — Juliana de Oliveira Soares-Silva et al · 2014 · ISBN 1934-7391 ↩︎
[5]Bothrops jararacussu venom-induced neuromuscular blockade inhibited by Casearia gossypiosperma Briquet hydroalcoholi — Camargo TM, et al · 2010 · ISBN 1678-9199 ↩︎
[PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎