| DESCRIPTION: The mature (evergreen) tree attains a height of 25-27 m and a stem diameter of 40-50 cm, often with a clear, cylindrical bole to 9 m. The crown is narrow, with a width averaging 4-6 m, and a crown width-to-dbh ratio of 22:25. It develops a shallow root system often suitable to mountain soils. Leaves dark green above; oblong, and often notched or smooth at the apex. The specific name glauca means covered with a bloom, which refers to the bluish-green foliage; it is derived from the Greek work glaukos (bluish). USES: Seeds contain 60-75% edible oil that can be extracted by conventional methods. Each well-grown tree yields 15 to 30 Kg nutlets equivalent to 2.5-5 kg oil and about the same quantity of oilcake. This amounts to 1000-2000 kg oil/ha/year and about the same quantity of oilcake. The oil is largely used in the preparation of bakery products in Central America. In India too it can be used in the manufacture of vanaspati, vegetable oil and/or margarine. The oil is free from bad cholesterol. It can be also used for industrial purposes in the manufacture of bio-fuels, soaps, detergents, lubricants, varnishes, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc. The oilcake being rich in nitrogen (8%), phosphorus (1.1%) and potash (1.2%), is good organic manure. The shells can be used in the manufacture of particleboard, activated charcoal or as fuel. The fruit pulp, rich in sugars (about 11%) can be used in the preparation of beverages. The pulp and leaf litter can be economically used in the manufacture of vermicompost (about 8 tons/ha/year). The wood is generally insect resistant and is used in the preparation of furniture, toys, as pulp (in paper making) and as fuel. The flowers are a source of honey. The residual cake left after processing the crude fat from the seed contains a toxin. All parts of the tree are used for medicinal purposes. The bark is taken as a decoction or tea for diarrhoea and fever. Leaves are used for rheumatism or are applied in the form of a lotion for body pain, bruises or skin itch. This eco-friendly tree with a well-developed root system and with evergreen dense canopy efficiently checks soil erosion, supports soil microbial life, and improves groundwater availability. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Creole: bwa blan, bwa fwenn, doliv, fwenn, English: bitter ash, bitter damson, princess tree, simarouba, French: bois amer, bois blanc, bois Frêne, bois négresse, quinquina d?Europe, Spanish: acajou blanc, daguilla, daguillo, gavilan, juan primero, laguilla olivio, palo amargo. Trade name: simaruba. FURTHER INF.: It is shade tolerant and occurs as an under-storey tree, particularly under the canopy of large fruit trees where birds perch and deposit the seeds. It is found as an associated species of the subtropical moist forest, sharing a position with other common trees of the home and humid perennial gardens, such as mango (Mangifera indica), royal palm (Roystonea borinquena), avocado (Persea americana) and plantain (Musa x paridisiaca). The species does poorly on severely degraded sites and approaches the limits of its optimal range in regions receiving less than 1200 mm of water. It is found on rocky, shallow calcareous soils of mountain slopes and ridges, as well as on the deeper soils of the ravines and alluvial plains. |
