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Boraginaceae Cordia alliodora Cham.

Boraginaceae Cordia alliodora
| | © W.D. Hawthorne

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Species information

Description
Tree to 18m; Crushed leaves and cut bark smell of garlic. Young twigs with stellate hairs, often with swollen chambers inhabited by ants, especially at the base of inflorescences. Youn trees have smooth greenish bark, becoming darker and fissured with age. The cut bark is fibrous. The fruit is a small nut 8mm long surronded by the persistent dried flower corolla and calyx, the lobes of which form a sort of helicopter to help dispersal. leaves, lanceolate/elliptic to obovate , 8-20 cm long with slight acuminate. Leaves slightlky sandpapery. Leaves with brown stellate hairs and white hairs. Many of the younger stems arise together from swollen, hollow, nodes. Ants live in these nodes; Cut bark turns from yellow/orange to dark red to black in about one minute. Wind dispersed seeds < 1 cm long with 5 wide propeller-like wings.

Interest
honour of Euricus Cordus (1486-1535) and son Valerius (1515-1544), German botanists and pharmacists. Alliodora is derived from 'Onion smell', referring to the scented bark. High quality and easily worked timber., with a self pruning stem and tall straight stem, regenerating well in open areas, often used as a shade tree e.g.for coffee. The abundant scented white flowers encourage its planting as an ornamental, and it is a good source of nectar for honey. The leaves and seeds are medicinal; fruits are edible, though not very tasty; Morton (1981) records that the leaves and bark have been used as a flavouring, like garlic (Allium sativum, fam Alliaceae). (Morton JF (1981) Atlas of Medicinal Plants of Middle America. Bahamas to Yucatan. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas) Carpenters who saw the timber of this species become very thirsty because of the peculiar properties of the sawdust; the shavings withdraw so much moisture from the hands that workmen find it an unpleasant timber to handle (Wheeler 1942). Grossmann (1920) referred to a type of "rosewood" as a source of dermatitis, believing it to have been derived from C. alliodora. The twigs and young branches often bear hollow swellings inhabited by ants. Perhaps four species of ants are known to be obligate tenants in the wild. The Azteca species most commonly found are timid and lethargic and bite only infrequently; the Pseudomyrmex species have been described as being "fierce" and "very vicious" (Wheeler 1942).

Specimen information

Collector
W.D. Hawthorne & S.Porle

Specimen Number
818

Location
Lowland secondary coastal forest from 7m asl at foot of slope, behind Tyrrel bay nr Hillsborough, 10m tall canopy max, with many lower patches. With Ruavolfia, Tecoma, Piscidia, Tamarindus, Cordia alliodora.

Coordinates
Latitude: 12.270000 N   Longitude: 61.280000 W   Altitude: 7