Trichanthera gigantea
Acanthaceae FAMILY

Trichanthera gigantea

Trichanthera gigantea

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Trichanthera gigantea is a shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded crown; usually growing up to 5 metres tall, but exceptionally to 17 metres[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. , 428 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65 Publication Author Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 1978 ISBN Description An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama. ]. The bole can be 40cm in diameter[ 337 Title Tropical Tree Seed Manual Publication Author Vosso. J. Editor. Website http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm Publisher USDA Forest Service. Year 2002 ISBN Description An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above. ]. More or less evergreen, the plant can lose its leaves for a short period in periods of dry weather, regrowing rapidly following rain[ 415 Title Tropical Forages Publication Author Website http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Mainly focussed on forage plants, the site gives a lot of information on the plant, with a good botanical description, details of cultivation, plant uses and a good selection of photographs. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It can be grown as a hedge, as a pioneer when restoring native woodland and to provide shade in coffee plantations.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica.
HabitatStreams and swampy areas and wet forests at low elevations[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. Along roadsides, in clearings, swampy areas, forests and thickets[ 428 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65 Publication Author Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 1978 ISBN Description An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama. ].