Copaifera officinalis
Fabaceae FAMILY

Copaifera officinalis

Copaifera officinalis

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
4/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Copaifera officinalis is a considerably branched tree that grows from 15 - 30 metres tall[ 318 Title Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database Publication Author Website http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc. ]. This species is one of the more important amongst the many related species in this genus that yield the resin 'Copaiba balsam'. The balsam is a valuable commodity, with a range of medicinal and many other uses. It is commonly harvested from wild trees and is exported in quantity to many countries[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. , 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ]. The plant has long been used by the native peoples of S. America, especially for this resin, which can be obtained from the trunk[ 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ]. Several different species can be used interchangeably to provide the resin; Copaifera langsdorffii from the cerrados of central Brazil; C. multijuga and C. Reticulata from the Amazon region, are probably the three other most important ones[ 318 Title Raintree Nutrition - Tropical Plant Database Publication Author Website http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Detailed information on the medicinal uses of more than two hundred rainforest plants, mainly from S. America, with basic descriptions of the plants, their other uses etc. ]. The tree has been planted in some areas, such as Cuba, where it is harvested commercially[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. Experiments into cultivating the tree for the production of balsam, which should be used directly as Diesel fuel, have been carried out in Brazil[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeNorthern S. America - Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana.
HabitatA canopy tree of the rainforests, usually found in well-drained sandy loams[ 362 Title Dominica Botanic Gardens Publication Author Website http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat. ].