Myroxylon balsamum
Myroxylon balsamum
Safety & Hazards
At least six clinical studies published in recent years indicate that balsam can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic reactions reported are generally skin rashes and dermatitis when the balsam comes into contact with the skin - even in small amounts found in soaps, perfumes, and other common body care products[ 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. ]. These allergic reactions are attributed to the gum's benzoic acids, which some people are highly sensitive to[ 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. ].
Botanical Description
Myroxylon balsamum is a slow-growing, emergent tree of the rainforest that can reach a height of 45 metres but is usually smaller[ 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. ]. It has a round, sometimes open, crown with dense foliage and a bole that can be up to 1 metre in diameter[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 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. ]. A valuable multi-purpose tree, yielding a valuable gum resin, a valuable timber and having a range of medicinal and other uses. The best form of the gum is generally considered to come from the var Myroxylon balsamum pereirae (see separate entry). This gum has a long history of use by local people as a medicine and is also widely used in modern herbal medicine, as an incense, perfume etc[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 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. ]. It is commonly gathered from the wild, but the tree is also sometimes cultivated for its gum, which is traded internationally[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. The tree is widely grown as an ornamental in the tropics, especially as a shade tree along the sides of roads[ 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. ].