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Tree Species (Scientific Name)

Poulsenia armata

Tree Family

Moraceae

Average Leaf Size (cm)

30cm

Length

19cm

Width

Tree Height

Medium (20–35m)

Elevational Range (m)

0–2350m

Distribution

Native

Exotic

Native to Peru

Native to

Region

Americas

Latin America

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela

Coffee Agroforestry Information

Coffee System

Arabica

Coffee Impact

Beneficial to coffee

Prevalence

Unknown

Cultivation

Natural

Tree Management

Very susceptible to droughts and climate changes. The tree is shade-tolerant and long-lived.

Tree Benefits and Uses

Farmer Uses

Food
Lumber
Product
Ceremonial

Used in lightweight construction and as properly treated fence posts. The Emberá Waunaan people in Panama extract fibers from the inner bark that are used to make fabric, hammocks, baskets, sails for canoes, and clothing for women. In the region of Valle de Anton and San Miguel del Norte in Panama, the bark is used to make a dress known as 'diablito cucúa', used in a dance in religious and folkloric festivals. The plant is harvested from the wild for its bark and edible fruits, which are sometimes sold in markets.

Farm Services

Soil Improvement

Biodiversity Benefits

Yes

The flowers are visited by insects.

Citations

Jezeer, Rosalien. (2018). PhD dissertation: Shedding Light on Shade- Reconciling Livelihoods and Biodiversity in Coffee Agroforests. 10.13140/RG.2.2.28895.71844.

Mendoza, A. L. M., & Guerrero, M. H. (2010). Catálogo de los árboles y afines de la Selva Central del Perú. Arnaldoa, 17, 203-242.;

Plants of the World Online POWO (2022). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org;

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Poulsenia armata (Miq.). Accessed 13 Oct 2022. Published on the Internet: https://panamabiota.org/stri/taxa/index.php?taxon=Poulsenia+armata&formsubmit=Search+Terms;

Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-10-13. tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Poulsenia+armata;

Poulsenia armata (Miq.) Standl. in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Accessed on 2022-10-13. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei;

Falkowski, T. B., Diemont, S. A., Chankin, A., & Douterlungne, D. (2016). Lacandon Maya traditional ecological knowledge and rainforest restoration: soil fertility beneath six agroforestry system trees. Ecological Engineering, 92, 210-217.

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