Casearia praecox
Casearia praecox
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[ 1438 Title Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North, Publication Author Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M. Publisher Year 2014 ISBN Description 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 , K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].
Botanical Description
Casearia praecox is a small to medium-sized tree. The bole is well formed and cylindrical, it can be free of branches for 3 - 5 metres, and 15 - 30cm in diameter, occasionally to 45cm[ 316 Title Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607. Publication Author Chudnoff. Martin. Publisher USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin. Year 1984 ISBN Description Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics. , 341 Title South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species. Publication Author Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J. Publisher Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Year 1979 ISBN 0 643 02582 0 Description A very useful guide. ]. A slow-growing tree with a dense, hard wood that is valued for specialist purposes such as musical instruments, engraving blocks, rulers etc[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. ]. It is harvested from the wild for local use and trade. Casearia praecox has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].