Brosimum

Brosimum is a genus of plants in the family Moraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.

Brosimum
Brosimum guianense parts drawing
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Tribe: Dorstenieae
Genus: Brosimum
Sw.[1]
Species

Several, see text

Synonyms

Alicastrum P.Browne
Brosimopsis S.Moore
Galactodendron Kunth
Piratinera Aubl.[1]

The breadnut (B. alicastrum) was used by the Maya civilization for its edible nut. The dense vividly colored scarlet wood of B. paraense is used for decorative woodworking.[2] B. guianese, or snakewood, has a mottled snake-skin pattern, and is among the densest woods, with a very high stiffness; it was the wood of choice for making of bows for musical instruments of the violin family until the late 18th century, when it was replaced by the more easily worked brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata). Plants of this genus are otherwise used for timber, building materials, and in a cultural context.

Selected species
  • Brosimum acutifolium—tamamuri
  • Brosimum alicastrum Sw.—breadnut, Maya nut, ramón (Spanish)
  • Brosimum costaricanum Liebm.
  • Brosimum discolor
  • Brosimum gaudichaudii Trecul—Mama-cadela
  • Brosimum glaucum Taub.
  • Brosimum glaziovii Taub.
  • Brosimum guianense (Aubl.) Huber—"snakewood" (= B. aubletii)
  • Brosimum ovatifolium
  • Brosimum paraense—Satine bloodwood
  • Brosimum parinarioides Ducke
    • Brosimum parinarioides ssp. amplicoma (Ducke) C.C.Berg (= B. amplicoma)
    • Brosimum parinarioides ssp. parinarioides
  • Brosimum potabile
  • Brosimum rubescens Taub. (= B. paraense)
  • Brosimum utile (Kunth) Pittier (= B. galactodendron)[3]

Formerly placed here
  • Pseudolmedia spuria (Sw.) Griseb. (as B. spurium Sw.)[3]

Footnotes
  1. "Genus: Brosimum Sw". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
  2. Baker (2004)
  3. "GRIN Species Records of Brosimum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2010-11-23.

References
  • Baker, Mark (2004): Wood for Woodturners. Guild of Master Craftsmen Publications, Sussex. ISBN 1-86108-324-6
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