A Synopsis of Bignoniaceae Ethnobotany and Economic Botany

12 Pages·1992·8.5 MB·

by  A H Gentry

A SYNOPSIS OF
A, H, Gentry
BIGNONIACEAE
ETHNOBOTANY AND
ECONOMIC
BOTANY^
Abstract
Bignoniaceae include attractive ornamental flowering trees and lianas and produce hard and durable timbers, many
pharmacologically active chemicals, various products used in local handicrafts, and even a few edible seeds and
fruits.
These uses are summarized here.
Horticulture and Ornamentals
When
m
came
to Washing! University as a
I
graduate student work with Walter Lewis, was This family of paramount horticultural im-
to I is
my
aware woody portance because of often spectacular
that specific interests in large its flowers,
For example, Meiminger known
tropical plants were rather different from his focus (1960), widely as
"The Man,"
at that time on largely herbaceous and temperate Flowering Tree has stated that Tab-
&
most
taxa Lewis 1962, 1976; Lewis Oliver, ebuia contains "the satisfactory flowering
(e.g.,
&
1961; Lewis Semple, 1977), Worse, a major trees for parkway and yard planting in southern
theme of Lewis's research has been change in chro- Florida." At least seven neotropical countries have
mosome
number Lewis, 1976, 1980; Lewis chosen a species of Bignoniaceae as their national
(e.g.,
&
Jacaranda
Bignoniaceae have flower or tree (Table mimosifolia
Terrell, 1962), but nearly
1),
all
&
Don
40 chromosomes D. perhaps the world's most widely planted
Gentry, 1979),
(Goldblatt is
making studies of chromosome number of minimal ornamental tropical tree (Gentry, 1984; Fig. 1).
interest. As a graduate student, was grateful that Perhaps its closest competition for such a desig-
I
Spathodea campanulata
Walter nation BeafUv., a
Lewis also
is
go to the tropics and study Bignoniaceae, even Bignoniaceae (e.g., Gentry, 1982; Fig. 1). In some
though my on eastern African and tropical Asian Millings
proposed research impinged cities,
little
hawkmoth-
his own Today am dehghted to report tonia hortensis L.f., with its fragrant
I
pollinated flowers, a similar role, at least locally.
fuU fills
Menninger (1970) 34 Bignoniaceae
Lewises listed diff^erent
Bignoniaceae, one of the families that the
vine species of horticultural importance (second
(Lewis et 1987, 1988) have found to be the
al.,
Podranea
only Leguminosae): ricasoliana (Tan-
most ethno- to
of Jivaro
significant in their studies
Sprague and Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gaw-
medicine, a most contribution to a sym- fani)
is fitting
among
Miers are the most attractive and widely
posium ler)
dedicated Walter
to
ornamental
who cultivated of tropical vines, while
Contrary van stated, all
to Steenis (1978),
"There marking Campsis radicans enjoys a similar distinction in
are no outstanding qualities Big-
Even
temperate zone. the currently burgeoning
do the
noniaceae Bignoniaceae
as useful plants," the
flower industry appreciates Bignoniaceae,
artificial
ethnobotanical
Tecoma
human with recognizable plastic versions of ca-
of gamut
Bignoniaceae spans broad of
a
pensis (Thunb.) Lindley and Millingtonia horten-
some uses
endeavor* Here summarize of the
I will
Bangkok
currently available in the market
of Bignoniaceae food, handicrafts, sis,
for horticulture,
comm.).
(Santisuk, pers.
timbe
me
60th birthday with thanks for his role in helping develop
' Dedicated Walter Lewis on the occasion of his
to
my general thank the National Science Foundation
and of tropical forests in I
career Bignoniaceae
as a student of
my
study of Bignoniaceae over the years
supported
has
BSR.8607113) that
for the series of grants (most recendy
now
were assembled. As a result, Bignoniaceae are one of the
here
during which data reported
the ethnobotanical
of the often miserable, nearly
make accurate identification
few known possible
weU enough to
tropical forest families
mostly based.
are
always ethnobotanical studies
vouchers on which
sterile,
63166-0299, U.b.A.
Missouri
Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis,
»
53-64.
Ann. Missolhi Bot. Gahd. 79: 1992.
54 Annals the
of
Garden
Missouri Botanical
Si
Food
have more
Bignoniaceae
also utilitarian
attri-
butes, although only a few species are used
for
food, and none are a major food crop. Nevertheless,
Parmentiera aculeata (HBK) Seemann
(Fig.
2)
is
Mayan
a significant cultivated fruit tree in the
Parmentiera
region (Gentry, 1980). stenocarpa
&
Dugand
L. B. Smith, endemic to the Colombian
Choco, produces an has been
edible fruit that pro-
moted
having commercial because
as potential of
a flavor apt for desserts or juices (Romero-
fruit
Panama,
Castaneda, 1985). In pre-Colombian the
pulp of the tree calabash {Crescentia cujete
L.)
was eaten (Wafer, 1699). Today seeds are used
its
make
to a refresco called "semilla de jicaro," which
popular Nicaragua almost
is locally in (Fig. 2),
constituting a kind of national drink, although this
use seems not have spread other countries.
to to
The waxy Seemann
Parmentiera
fruit of cereifera
Panama
has occasionally been eaten (Gentry,
in
1980) and was an food
formerly important cattle
(Seemann, Kige-
1851). In Africa the ripe fruit of
africana (Lam.) Benth. baked and added to
lia
is
may
beer, where fermentation but cause
aids
it
headaches roasted
(Lovett, 1990); seeds are also
its
in time of famine. The garlic-smelling species of
Mansoa
and Tynanthus are fre-
clove-smelling
quently used as condiments.
Handicrafts
More may
Bignoniaceae
significant be the use of
fruits for various and In handicrafts.
utensils local
By
far the most important such use of the exocarp
is
Oc-
of Crescentia As 13
cujete early as
(Fig.
2).
tober 1492, on the very day he discovered the
New
Figure on
1. Bignoniaceae used horticulture.— World, Columbus journal
in A. reported in his
Street in Campinas, Sao Paulo,
Brazil, lined entirely with canoes
the use
of Crescentia exocarp native
to bail
Spathodea —B,
campanulata, Jacaranda
mimosifolia,
dugout
(Sauer, 1969). Even every
today, nearly
perhaps the most widely
cultivated flowering
subtropical
canoe Neotropics
tree in the world.— C. Tabebuia rosea, national tree of in out-of-the-way parts of the
El Salvador, widely use as
cultivated throughout the world's trop- carries its piece of Crescentia exocarp for
ics.
Table
Bignoniaceae
1 national symbols
(national
tree or national flower)
.
Country
Species
Source
Argentina Jacaranda
mimosifolia Don
D.
1965 (runner-up
Fabris,
as national tree)
Bahamas
Tecoma HBK
starts (L.) Juss. ex
Brazil Tabebuia
serratifolia (Vahi) Nicholson
1984
Gentry
et ah,
Ecuador
Tabebuia
chrysantha
(Jacq.) Nicholson
El Salvador Tabebuia
rosea DC.
(Bertol.)
1949
Menninger,
Japan Paulownia
tomeniosa
(Scrophulariaceae?)
Asch, 1968
Paraguay
Tabebuia
hepiaphylla
(Veil. Cone.) Toledo comm
Brunner,
pers.
Venezuela Tabebuia &
billbergii (Bureau Schumann)
Standley Steyermark, 1973
Virgin Islands Tecoma
stans
(L.) Juss. ex Kunth
Number
Volume
79, Gentry
55
1
1992
Bignoniaceae Ethnobotany
and Economic Botany
-A. Tabebuia ochracea. Mass-
Mass-flowering tree of
Figure
Bignoniaceae.
2. MisceUaneous uses of
Crow
on Costa Rican postcard*.
neochrysaatha as illustrated
flo^vering trees of Tabebuia ochracea subsp.
Bignomacea^ fruiU Ubed
Sao Paulo, Brazil,— D. tenttilfi
sections of Bignoniaceae used Inoal Kandi'crafte.
lianas in
Cresceniia
cujete
and used •**«!»
in local handicrafts. Upper
left , , . j r r > t aHowcr
= crucigerum used as a kuid of arUfacial in floral
decorated Pithecoctenium
for wall-hanging; middle
= containers.— "Semilla de jicaro" (C
household E-
used as
arrangements; bottom and Crescentia cujete
right
left
poKjcred
a packet of seeds; middle, a
cujetel a container of seeds; right,
a favorite Nicaraguan r^efresco. Left,
Guatemala.
Parmentiera aculenta fruits, cultivated in
newspaper seeds.-F.
Crescentia
clipping advertising
12,000
production of trees
a Crescentia a
bailer. Engraving of the of is
fruit
nnoort the local industrv. a
ignifi
significance in view of the fact that only
gains
The smaller
rural groups 1982).
(Fig. Price,
2;
known grow
12,381 calabash trees are to in the
"maraca'* rattles
fruits of C. alata are used as
entire state-
much America,
(Fig. Mexico and Central
2) in of
Amazonian
KrwaUur
The binna Inriiana oi uiw
Maraca Mexico's
manufacture so important in
is
copma
Jarnranria
valves o{ (Aublct) D.
capsule
the
Morelos Bye (1992) reports that
state that
Annals of the
56
Garden
Missouri Botanical
The appeal of the contrastingly
aesthetic dark
heartwood and
light »od
wood
western
guayacan on
Nicholson
(Jacq.)
is
)
(
much
important timber woods, with
converted knickknacks,
being into
s
and sugar bowls and carved statues, and furniture
One esteem which **guayacan'
indication of the in
becoming
the prevalence on the tourist market of items of
is
guayacan made by dark brown
painting
imitation
made from
bands or patches on an article a light-
wood
The
making parquetlike
noniaceae lianas are used in
them
un
n
4 t
mi
conununity
Th
zecry, pers
ucatan of bign
Gen-
making Arrabidaea puhescens A.
(L.)
(e.g.,
try
k
Ocampo, Cydista are
comm.), stems of
(R. pers.
the
being
An
At-
Guatemalan Peten purposes.
for similar
Colombia, to
abidaea used Caqueta,
species in
is
make {Toro
"balais" or manioc strainers (coladoras)
TROPENBOS-Colombia
aL Herbarium
et 12, of
abbreviated
housed the Corporacion Araracuara,
at
ARAR
to in the rest of this paper).
local
Bignoniaceae lianas are used frequently in
from hous-
construction, tying together everything
may
be their
some
c- es to piers (Fig. In areas this
3),
Bignoniaceae
major
use; for example, four of the
all
used
Figure wood Boom be
3. liana species reported by (1990) to
and
cabinetry Bignoniaceae
liana used to tie floating by the Panare Indians were used as lashing m^"
—
—
dock Mazan,
together, Peru. BB.. IInntteerriiooir trim and wood
rec-
Elsewhere herbarium-label
there are
terials.
work of house Campinas, Sao
in Paulo,
Brazil, entirely of
—
this
Tabebuia
heptaphylla, Truckload
C. of "lapacho"
logs
An
{Tabebuia heptaphylla) headed market
for in eastern
1087
Paraguay.
{Duke
tying as tourniquets for snakebite '^y
is
make out
MO),
which Choco Darien
the Indians of
Mansod
of the thin and flexuous juvenile stems of
&
Don
as tools to shape pottery (Vickers Plowman,
parvifolia (A. Gentry) A. Gentry,
fruit
make
out to a kind of mousetrap using a bait and
Timber
made
noose; it is also into ladles, cups, and dolls
The
(Lovett, 1990), dried fruit valves of Pithe- In terms of wood products
financial return,
coctenium
are frequently placed on a stick (Fig, 2) the most important contribution of Bignonia
arran Many impo
humanity.
of the tree taxa are
encountered
The
of timber.
Schumann
unusua
similarly
important
guess Guaiacum.
Gentry,
1991). Tabebuia, along with
Volume Number
79,
Gentry
1 57
1992
Bignoniaceae Ethnobotany
and Economic Botany
may
have the hardest, heaviest, most durable wood the among the most important timber
Antilles,
is
&
of any neotropical tree (Record Hess, 1940; trees on many West Indian islands. This species
Gentry, 1980). For example, Tabehuia guayacan and angustata
closely related Britton are
T, es-
•eemann Hemsley was among the most resistant pecially used for wharves and canoes because of
to wood-boring organisms of aU the Panamanian their durability in contact with water
salt (e.g.,
& &
woods tested by Bultman Southwell (1976; Gentry, 1991; Hodge Taylor, 1957). Tabebuia
&
Southwell Bultman, 1971), and nearly the rosea^ called ''roble" (Spanish for oak) in some
all
much
sound trees that remain standing in Gatun Lake, coimtries, sought after in Mexico and
is
more 50
than years after flooding by construction Central America for general construction and car-
Panama Panama
of the Canal, are that species. Not sur- pentry. In this the fourth species to be
is
by
prisingly, the timbers of this species in the ruined selectively cut timber cruisers before general
Panama
colonial cathedral at Viejo are sturdy lumbering of an area begins (Gentry, 1980). In
still
after exposure to the elements for 400 years. Tab- northwestern South America, T, rosea (Bertol.)
A
DC,
an important timber
also tree. relative,
is
ifc
to r. guayacan^ currently the most highly de- T. roseo-alba (Ridley) Sandw., is used for 'Habua,
is
MO).
sirable hardwood in Para, Brazil, being worth $40 taco, frigo, e ripas"' in Brazil {Lino 138,
&
per m^ before sawing (Uhl Vieira, 1989). Cur- Another relative, Tafeeiuta m5t^/its (Miq.) Sandw.,
rently efforts are being made to import wood of is the main native "additive" to the Jari plantation
Ama- paper (Feamside, 1988). Paratecoma, a
this species to the United States (source at pxilp re-
now
zonex Lumber Co., pers. comm.). In western Ec- lated genus endemic to coastal Brazil but al-
uador two wooded {T most extinct, was once the most important timber
other related hard- species
chrysantha and ubsp tree of the Rio de Janeiro area, being used to finish
T!
houses and commercial
buildings
important timber all the better-class
much
of Rio de Janeiro and for of the best-quality
trun
&
homes furniture there (Record Mell, 1924). In the
Guayaquil
finest in
HBK
wood. The wood Peruvian Andes Tecoma sambucifolia is an
similar
I
&
wood carpentry {Lopez Sagas-
taphylla much Paraguay and southern important for
prized in
is
comm 2779, LP, MO).
tegui
.nly
Another Bignoniaceae genus with timber poten-
trim
Jacaranda copaia
Jacaranda, subsp. spec-
These same wood by
properties are appreciated tial is
example, an important second growth
campesinos and For tabilis, for is
indigenous peoples as well.
many moist areas of the lowland Neo-
example, Guajira species in
the metates (corn grinders) of the
and
made fast-growing currently being
Indians in northern Colombia are always of tropics. It is is
& Amazonian Ecuador one most
promoted as of the
the wood Schumann) in
of (Bureau
billbergii
T.
T Ughtweight neotropical timbers (Peck,
promising
Standley and
(Cuadros, comm.), serrati-
pers.
wood
comm.). Crescentia used specificaUy
folia used ax handles by the pers. is
is preferentially for
W. make wooden saddles in western Mexico (Bye,
Ka'apor to
of
Brazil Balee),
(fide
comm.). In eastern Africa, the International
Because most of the good timber trees in south- pers.
(ICRAF)
CouncU Research Agroforestry has
for in
ern Brazil have already been the Parana forests
cut,
Markhamia Schumann
lutea (Benth.) as
selected
of Paraguay now main source of
are the regional
T one of focal species for agroforestry tree breed-
Tabebuia five
wood; heptaphylla currently the
is
comm.).
Boland, pers.
ing (D.
timber
otherwise
Rio
Dyes
Curiously, Tabebuia, especially
other species of
Several
those growing swamps, have unusually light-
in
known
weight woods. The spongy wood of the roots 5t
light
body
of DC, example, has
T. cassinoides (Lam.) for
was important to the Indigenous cultures along
been so
reportedly used Ufebuoys, razor straps,
for
"He
Orinoco that the local equivalent of so
mner the is
body" became
wood paper pulp,
its for spoons and ladles, troughs,
body
wooden
That
There Tabebuia species
also a large group of
is
Amazonian Colombia and Ecuador
by the Indians of
One Tab-
th intermediate-weight woods. of these.
women's as and
today to paint lips well as faces
widespread in
Ilia heterophrlla (DC.) Britton,
58 Annals of the
Garden
Missouri Botanical
&
new when
bodies (Garcia-Barriga, 1975; Vickers Plowman, on significance viewed in tho context
of
1984). It also used by the Choco Indians to dye Bignoniaceae. It is in medical ethnobotany that
is
on
basketry fibers black as well as red, depending Bignoniaceae achieve their greatest prominence,
J
number
the treatment (pers. obs.) and by the Sionas of and, although a of Bignoniaceae trees have ^
Amazonian Ecuador make brown have
to a dark or medicinal uses, the lianas that the greatest
it is
&
blackish dye for painting designs on clothing (Vick- array of bioactive constituents (Gentry Cook,
&
ers Plowman, 1984). 1984; Phillips, 1991). The doctor, as well as the
Another famous bignon dye "yangua" or Cy- architect, might be well advised to turn to vines,
is
bistax antisyphilitica (C. Martius) C. Martins especially bignon lianas. For example, 10 of the
DC,
ex whose use as a blue dye in the Tarapoto 12 Bignoniaceae genera used medicinally by the
region of Peru was reported by Spruce (1859). Jivaro in Peru were lianas (Lewis et ah, 1987),
known
Less well the use of bark of Sparattos- and no fewer than 13 genera of bignon lianas were
is
perma leucanthum (Veil. Cone.) Schumann by the listed by Phillips (1991) as having specific medic-
Chacobos of Bolivia to produce a brown dye used inal uses. Altogether, now have records for 27
I
to stain cotton thread (Boom, 1987) or the fruit genera of Bignoniaceae lianas and nine genera of
&
of Crescentia to produce a black dye (Hodge trees that are used medicinally.
Taylor, 1957). At the opposite extreme, but no less biologically
active, are various Bignoniaceae species reported
Ritual Uses same
as toxic, in several cases the taxa that are
t
among
Paramount
medicinal in other contexts. poi-
sometimes
climb
sonous Bignoniaceae the genus Tanaecium. Ta-
is
the Bignoniaceae bandwagon. The
cross-shaped,
naecium Dugand Magdalena
excitiosum of the
3-foliolate leaves and winged petiole of Crescentia
J
xHTdDiK^ J u- m nil- Valley of Colombia is locally famous tor its toxicity
7 * •*
alat^ a 1led to cultivation ' txih_ e Phmppm• es
its
^ /(tD\_ugandj, 19r*42o)\ andj uhas ubeen ilargae^lhy
to cattle
because
of the suggested symbolism,
religious while
death
eradicated an attempt reduce livestock
in to
the distinct cross seen in stem cross sections of
almond-
Crushed and stems of
(pers. obs.). leaves
Bignonia capreolata name
(hence the vernacular
Tanaecium nocturnum Rodr.) Bu-
smelling (Barb.
(,i,
similar connotations
&
Wayapi
Schumann ol
reau are used by the
1982).
try,
French Guiana enervate bees while gathering f
to
Bignoniaceae have
also their place in indigenous
honey (Grenand, and toxic effects
1980), similarly «|
religion. For example, a leaf concoction of Ane-
have been reported on humans (Prance et al.,
Schumann
of poi-
1977). Another well-documented instance
Wayapi
related
sonous Bignoniaceae involves two closely n
huntin
Gentry
species of Arrabidaea, A. elegans (Veil.) A.
terdiction (Grenand, 1980). not whether
It is clear
have
which
and
A. bilabiata (Sprague) Sandw.,
reports of use of an infusion of Cydista
aequinocti-
been responsible numerous Uvestock poisonings
for
Arrabidaea
alis (L.) Miers, corallina
(Jacq.)
(Tokamia
1969; Gentry, 1983).
et
al.,
Schumann
may advantageous
Poisonous be
properties also
Witotos
^
may
Memora
in hunting or For example,
fishing.
more"
see
''to refers to hallucination or
religion.
Memora
have allantan'
efficacy as a poison.
Whether fish
to categorize the waving by a med-
Tirio
been used
diflora (Spruce) Bureau reportedly has
man
icine of Stizophyllum branches over
sick
N
as a poison on Xingu {Balee 1962^ i)'
fish the
h
people to cure fever comm.) M
(Plotkin, pers. as
called
and cladotricha Sandw, sometimes
is
medicine
or reUgion equally moot. Another
is faith-
Peru,
"barbasco huasca" (= -poison vine) in
fish
related use of a bignoniaceous "charm"
reported
is
o
reports
indicating similar use. There are several
from the Brazilian Xingu {Balee 2225, NY), where
Amazoniai
Bignoniaceae
as curare ingredients in
Ka'apor
the tape Stizophyllum riparium on
chil-
including magnoUifr^^^
the roots of Distictella
make
dren's legs to them grow
taller.
(HBK) (HBK) Bu-
Sandw. and obovata
Martinella
&
1969i
reau Schmnarmby
the Barasana (Schultes,
and Cal-
1970), Schlegelia Gentry
Poisons and Medicines cauliflora A.
Mira-
lichlamys Schumann by the
latifolia (Rich.)
Wrigh
ARAB; 1975),
nas {La Rotta 379,
Garcia-Barriga,
can bury
his mistakes, but an can {Pabon
architect only Arrabidaea Yukuna
oligantha by
the
aff.
&
advise his cUents to plant vines." This dictum
takes 800, ARAR), and Schlegelia scandens (Briq-
Number
Volume
79, Gentry
1 59
1992
Bignoniaceae Ethnobotany
and Economic
Botany
-
Melloa quadnvalvis mala cangrejo,
A.
Figure active chemicals.
4. Bignoniaceae as sources of biologically
9*
undergrouiid at house of local cangrejero
used -B. Melloa stem sections as stored
to trap crabs northern Colombia.
in
them up outside theu" holes the next morning
made Melloa by picking
prior to use.-C. Crabs caught with bait ol
shelQ.-E Canniana (L«cythidaceae) tree stripped
D. Bark Peru (on
of Tabebuia market at Iquitos,
for sale in
Almendras
similar
now
Tabebuia bark.
is being sold instead, as a kind of fake
& A. Gentry to iminohilize crabs
Spruce) Sandw. by Tikuna (Schultes Raflfauf, rivalvis (Jacq.) in
the
&
Colombia (Gentry Cuadros,
northern in prep.;
990).
1
The plant locally called "'mata cangrejo/*
is
Another interesting use of a species of Bignonia- Fig. 4).
guarded among
secret
ceae of Melloa quad- and its use is a cloflcly certain
for poisonous properties
its is
60 Annats of the
Garden
Missouri Botanical
A Sandw. charm Amazonian Peru
prepared as a love in
famaies of professional crabbers. bait (Phil-
is
comm.).
from shavings of Melloa stem and banana and lips, pers.
is
overnight outside a series of crab holes in an Although there have been few detailed or sys
left
The morning tematic investigations of Bignoniaceae phytochem-
appropriate coastal area. next the
from
up obvious their characteristic vege-
crabber merely returns to the crab holes, picks istry, it is
many
genera
which have been tative odors that the species of are
the crabs, inmiobilized outside
their holes by the Melloa, and carries them off to related by distinctive suites of chemical characters.
Tynan
market. Apparently the of the Melloa For example, thus smells like cloves, most
eflfect is
Mansoa Tanaecium
temporary and nontoxic to humans, since the crabs species smell like garlic, has
have largely recuperated by the time they reach either an almond or bitter odor, Paragonia a
Godmania
market, and no adverse have been reported sweetish odor, a rank odor that has
effects
^
from eating them. been likened to that of horse urine. This kind of
the
Hallucinogens might be classed as either poisons chemical signature also reflected in similar
is
or medicines, depending on one's perspective. Here, ethnomedicinal uses for different species of the
make same One most examples
too, Bignoniaceae lianas a significant eth- genus. of the striking is
&
nobotanical contribution. Tanaecium nocturnum Marfme//a (Gentry Cook, 1984), which is wide-
America
is used as an hallucinogenic snuff called "kosibo" ly used throughout most of South as a «•
Paumari Such medicinal uses
Indians of Brazil and simila medicine for conjunctivitis.
Colomb are reflected in an abundance of specific epithets
Mussat ophthalmica a
"ophthahnica" {Bignonia
like
11
(Quechua for "wick of delieht"), a wi synonym of Martinella obovata), "antisyphilitica %
is
used coca additive in Peru and Bolivia and has an {Cybistax antisyphilitica), "impetiginosa" {Tab-
independent euphoric (Plowman, ebuiaimpetiginosa{C,MsivimsexDC,)Sla.nd\eyl
effect 1980). In
t
& synonym 7^6^
Clytostoma {Tecoma of
Bolivia, sciuripabulum Bureau "curialis" curialis, a
Schumann Cone) and the
roots are sometimes mixed with coca buia heptaphylla (Veil. Toledo), in
aurea
name Tabebuia
by Chimane vernacular "para todo"
the for
&
Marsh
(Manso) Benth, Hook, ex Moore,
occa- S.
?r
A
sional coca additive Distictis pulverulentus number of Bignoniaceae taxa have been re-
is
medical
(Sandw.) A. Gentry, the ashes of the burned leaves ported to be active against such major
hep-
Makuna malaria,
with scourges as cancer, diabetes, syphilis,
&
famous
(Schultes Raifauf, 1990). and The most
rabies, leshmaniasis.
atitis,
m
species
various
ations than to of these the use of the bark of
is
Awang,
medicine
are the aphrodisiacal properties attributed of Tabebuia as a cancer cure (Fig. 4; see
&
prep)-
to other Bignoniaceae lianas, for example clove- 1988; Gyllenhaal Farnsworth, ms. in
Many ex-
smelling Tynanthus, Bignoniaceae
or "clavo huasca," by
the of the cytotoxic effects of
docu-
ewis tracts on neoplasic as well as their
._^ cells,
^
,
and
noteworthy
in this context, the same Tanaecium mented trypanosomiasis
effectiveness against
nocturnum
lapacnoi
that is used by the Paumari as a hal- various viruses are due to properties of the
lucinogenic snufF is used by the Panamanian Choco and related naphthoquinones that are widespread
(Ferreira
aphrodisiac and
mostly family
in, restricted this
to,
Peru
et aL, 1990).
m-
pers. comm,). of
Additional recent ethnobotanical reports
Another cancer
Bignoniaceae famous
for reputed digenous uses of Tabebuia bark against
its
T
phrodisiac and irn
include that of incana A. Gentry T.
(Veil. Cone.) Stellf. ex de Sousa, or "catuaba," of petiginosa by the Campas Peru (Reynel et al,
in
T
the The
Brazilian cerrado. vernacular name, Tupi, 1990), of Colombia (Garcia-Bar-
serratifolia in
for "tree of togetherness," T Mayas in
reflects its reputation; riga, 1975), and of rosea by the
an &
herbal tea prepared from "catuaba" supposed Mexico (Dominguez That almost
Alcorn, 1985).
is
1
and
un such Tabebuia,
all reports are for the genus
Other Bign come
that they from such widely scattered localities
phrodisiacal and credence
ethnic groups, lends ethnobotanical
the flowers oi Stereosperma
chelonoides DC.
(L.f.) to the postulated medical
effectiveness.
(as S. suaveolens) in India (Chopra
et 1956), Unfortunately, interpret
al., the uncritical tend to
Macfadyena
uncata
(Andrews)
Spragu such often
data manner
overzealously, a that
in
^^Ma
Number
Volume
79,
Gentry
1
61
1992
Bignoniaceae
Ethnobotany
and Economic Botany
doubt on more
casts the real, as well as the fanciful, nection. Most appropriately called "pedo de padre"
effectiveness of a plant 7a6e6uia. For example, (= may
like priest's fart) in Central America, well
it
—
"ozone-friendly" Tabebuia ("lapacho" "pau
or serve to repel insects (Lewis et aL, 1987) as well
was
d'arco") reported in a recent article (Sylvester, as most other organisms. No doubt burning where
it
1989) to build immunity, improve vitality, and sick chickens roost to prevent an epidemic (Alar-
strengthen cells, as well as being effective against con, 1988) would have as strong a repulsive effect
diabetes, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, on the potential disease vectors of the chickens as
rheumatism,
allergies, chronic infections, colds, in- drying in a closed building does on an unwary
it
fluenza, boils, snake bites, and AIDS; no doubt the plant collector (pers. obs.). However, much of
its
unusual flowers, which "are carnivorous and eat exceedingly wide medical application against a great
insects, keeping the tree free from parasites and variety of ailments, including such difficult-to-treat
viral growths," contribute to healing power as ones as snakebite, likely to be due to placebo
its is
does the fact that "it apparently only grows where effect*
there a high ozone content the where Another kind of precautionary note on Bigno-
is in air vital
may
negative ions are also concentrated." Yet these niaceae ethnomedicinal uses also be appro-
some
distinctly off-the-wall observations are confusingly priate. In at least cases, unreliable or un-
may
interspersed with documented ones about cooperative informants have invented uses or
better
eflFectiveness against a/6ican5 and several misidentified the plant involved. Thus, the dozens
Ca/ic?ic/a
kinds of cancer. of independent reports, including an unpublished
There are Bignoniaceae one dating from 1791, of use of Martinella for
also several reports of
an
with antimalarial properties. These include P/eofio- eye ailments surely indicates that the plant is
&
How-
toma melioides Moore) A. Gentry Rios Tri- effective medicine (Gentry Cook, 1984).
(S.
(J.
Macfadyena ever, there are also isolated reports of uses of
xanthophylla Gentry
Spathicaljx (DC). A.
A. Gentry 7a6e6uiaro5ea
(Garcia-Barriga, 1975),
Haplolophium
{Steyermark51372,Y\B.\\AT rodriguesii A.
ochraceaiChdim.) (Schultes, 1970),
&
Macfadyen
Standley
Bignoniaceae
(Schultes RafFauf, 990).
1
reported as effective against syphilis include Ar- ,ewis
&
mitfiaea nophylla Sandw. {Schultes Cabrera 19734),
cAica (Triana Garcia-Barriga, 1975),
fide
&
Macfadyena and Arrabidaea chica (Schultes Raffauf, 1990)
unguis-cati (Garcia-Barriga, 1975),
AU
Tabebuia Tecoma of these are vegetatlvely
heptaphylla (Martins, 1843), to treat conjunctivitis.
Mart and one wonders
Duke
Kunth 1974, similar to
fide
fLioeier.
comm whether some kind of mix-up, intentional or oth-
might be involved. Similar confusion be-
tius, 1843); Jacaranda caucana has also erwise,
Pitt,
may
been tween plants also apply to the reported use
reported be against venereal dis-
to effective
ease {Grant 10711, WIS; Garcia-Barriga, 1975). to cure diarrhea of four of the five identified useful
another unidentified one)
Both Callichlamys and Jacaranda co- bignon lianas (plus in
latifolia
Chacobo
paia by Boom's 987) study of ethnobotany. This
have been reported to be specifically used ( 1
and
otherwise a rarely reported use for bignons
.ewis
is
same
been reported elsewhere for the taxa,
has not
ah, 1987), and Cybistax antisyphilitica roots
& MO). some of which normally have other very specific
against epOepsy {Mathias Taylor 5617,
obo
Tabebuia
rosea has been reported be used against
to
Tecoma lik
rabies Guatemala {Ruano 425, US),
in
On
informants are providing less than precise data.
stans
reputed be against diabetes in
is to effective
hand, the use of an obscure species like
other
the
countries
&
Schumann
Bureau
Memora (DC.)
flavida
stimulating
f
unnamese
&
Mellado-
product
lulin
Way
Campos, comm.).
Duke,
1985; 1988; pers.
Perl,
body
On
of
reports
the other hand, equally specific
Man muscles, respectively) (Plotkin, pers.
aching facial
like
conun
tuberculosis
property of this species involved.
active is
and both rheumatism Lewis et al., cally
against
(e.g.,
know
may psy- In summary, while it is difficult to to what
1987) weU be more closely related to
ethnomed.cma
on
extensive literature
the
extent
Garlic-smeU-
chological than physiological effects.
and especially b.gnon hanas,
Bignoniaceae, reflects
Mansoa con-
ing instructive in this
esoeciallv
is
Annals the
62 of
Garden
Missouri Botanical
real pharmacological activity, the fact that there al 2397, MO), as a cosmetic to keep the skin soft
Memora
are so many such reports strongly suggests that and moist {Arrabidaea chica^ cladotri-^^
many remove pimples {Amphilophium
there a real basis for of them. Indeed, cha), or to pan-
is
HBK
taken at face value they suggest that Bignoniaceae iculatum (L.) (fide Standley 197 19A, US)),
m
tapeworms {Macfadyena
and
constitute a kind of one-family rainforest phar- to eliminate unguis-
macy, with different taxa curing ailments of the cati) or treat ringworm {Cydista lilaclna A. Gen-
{Pleonotoma Miers La Balee 2596, NY). They are even used
eyes variabilis (Jacq.) (fide try: in
Rotta379 ARAR), Martinella), ears {Arrabidaea veterinary medicine Tynanthus panurensis
(e.g.,
&
DC:
florida Schultes Raffauf, 1990), teeth {Ar- in Colombia to "enfriar el calor de los animales":
ARAR;
La 379 Ceratophytum
rabidaea chica (caries prevention), Crescentia Rotta tetragon-
^
&
Lundia erionema DC. olobum Sprague Sandw. Mexico
leaves (toothaches), (bleed- (Jacq.) in for
XAL, M)
ing gums)), nose and throat Mansoa, Cre- coughing dogs: Ucdn 752, (Alarcon,
(e.g.,
scentia, Stizophyllum, Pyrostegia, Parmentiera, 1988; Boom, 1987, 1990; Chopra et al., 1956;
Tanaecium nocturnum), skin Amphilo- Garcia-Barriga, 1975; Grenand, 1980; Lewis et
(e.g.,
1980;Reynel
phium, Callichlamys, Cydista, Jacaranda, Me- 1987; 1991; Plowman,
Phillips,
al.,
&
mora, Mussatia, Kigelia, Parmentiera, Tabebu- 1990; Schultes Raffauf, 1990; Tournoi
et
al.,
&
Tanaecium), stomach and 1986; Vickers Plowman, 1984).
ia, intestines (eg., et
al.,
Arrabidaea, Callichlamys, Crescentia, Jacaran- Bignoniaceae clearly enrich the lives of the peo-^
da, Macfadyena, Mussatia, Paragonia, Parmen- pie who share the world's tropical forests with them
tiera, Pithecoctenium, Pleonotoma, Tabebuia)^ Although they are already important to the de-
can
kidneys {Parmentiera\ {Macfadyena: Schin- veloped world seems that they
liver as well, likely
it
4892, CTES), {Mansoa, Tynanthus, become even more Bignoniaceae would seem
ini joints Jac- useful.
aranda, Macfadyena, Memora, Pitecoctenium, clearly to merit additional ethnobotanical, especial-
Tabebuia), In addition to being used against the ly pharmacological, investigation, before they, along
above-mentioned maladies and against asthma, in- with the knowledge of their plethora of potential
common
fluenza, and the cold, they are used to uses and the very rainforests in which they live,
DC,
treat fevers {Arrabidaea candicans (Rich.) disappear from the face of the earth.
Callichlamys, Macfadyena, Mansoa,
Martinella,
Memora, Tanaecium
nocturnum,
Tynanthus, Xy-
lophragma), headaches {Arrabidaea
spicata Bu-
Literature Cited
&
Schumann,
reau Pithecoctenium),
diarrhea
{Ar-
Quichuas
Alarcon de
G., R. 1988. Etnobotanica los
DC,
rabidaea candicans,
A. platyphylla Ecuat.
de Amazonia Ecuatoriana. Misc. Antropol.
la
Callichlamys, Lundia, Mussatia, Tanaecium Monogr.
noc- Ser. 55.
7:
Gar-
turnum, Tynanthus), AscH, 1968. Botanical emblems of the nations.
flatulence {Mussatia, Tab- J.
den 55-57.
Journal 1968:
ebuia barbata Meyer)
(E, Sandw.: by the Kuri-
active
AWANG, D. 1988. Commercial Taheebo lacks
pakos combat
specifically to excess flatulence from 323-^-^*
May
1988,
Herbal Medicine
ingredient.
eating tapir meat), hemorrhaging {Crescentia, Boom, B. M. 1987. Ethnobotany of the Chacobo
In-
i'
Macfadyena, Advances Econ. Bot. 4:
flowers of Tabebuia obscura (Bu- dians, Beni, Bolivia.
•
01
Indians
& 1990. Panare
Useful plants of the
Schumann)
reau
Sandw.), hiccoughs {Schlegelia .
Econ. oo^-
the Venezuelan Guayana. Advances
macrophylla
Ducke), Mansoa,
snakebite
(e.g.,
57-76.
Clytostoma
sciuripabulum, Tabebuia aurea & Natural
(fide Bultman, Southwell. 1976.
D. C. R.
J.
Balick et al 1395, MO), Tecoma stans), and resistance of tropical American woods to terrestrial
71-9
behavioral (Macfadyena wood-destroying organisms. Biotropica 8: •
disorders uncata
against
B^^'R- 1992. Ethnobotany Mexican dry forests
l/w. of
aagegcrreessssiivvee tteennddeenncciieess iinn PPeerru„, Cr.rre.s.cre.nntnina cujete ;
Trop
Mooney
S. Bullock, E. Medina and H. (editors),
as a tranquilizer in Ecuador {Miller aL 2397,
et Dry Cambridge Univ. rr^*-'
ical Forest Ecosystems.
MO),
Stereospermum
(Buch.-Ham.
colais ex
Dill- (In press.)
& l^^:
wyn) Mabberley Chopra. Nayar Chopra,
(as S. tetragonum) for maniacal R. N., S. L. I. C.
of i*'"
Council
Glossary
cases They of Indian Medicinal Plants.
in India). are used
against baldness
&
New
entific Industr. Res., Delhi.
{Tynanthus
panurensis (Bureau) Sandw. Ec- . ,
in <W
Uteis
CoRBEA,
P. 1926. Diccionario das Plantas
uador {Maries
113, broken
F)), to treat bones
Imprensa
Brasil. Nacional, Rio de Janeiro.
&
{Pithecoctenium crucigerum Screening
(L.) A. Gentry by the DOMINGUEZ, X. A. Alcorn. 1985.
B.
J.
nor
Mayans
Peruvian Amuesha Salick 7198, MO), of medicinal plants used by Huastec of
(fide as a
1-^
eastern Mexico. Ethnopharmacology 13:
permanent {Macfadyena J.
contraceptive uncata
in
156.
Peru) and cause spontaneous .
to abortion {Crescen- vaUe
DUGAND, de
A. 1942. Dos nuevos Bignoniaceas
tia cujctc in Ecuador {Maries 123, F; Miller Magdalena. 29-35.
et del Caldasia
1(5):