Myroxylon balsamum pereirae
Myroxylon balsamum pereirae
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 pereirae is a slow-growing, slender, emergent tree of the rainforest that can reach a height of 35 metres but is usually smaller. It has a round, sometimes open, crown with dense foliage and a bole that can be up to 100cm in diameter[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. A valuable multi-purpose tree, yielding a valuable gum resin, a valuable timber and having a range of medicinal and other uses. This variety is generally considered to produce the best form of the gum. 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 ingredient 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, especially in Salvador, 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. ].