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Castilla elastica
| Family Name: | Moraceae |
| Common Name: | Panama Rubber Tree, Castilla Rubber Tree, Mexican Rubber Tree, Uletree |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Southern Mexico & Central America to Colombia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Spontaneous (Casual)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A tree that grows up to 30 m tall with diameter up to 60 cm. It has spreading or drooping branches. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are oblong, 20-45 cm by 7-15 cm, coarse, densely hairy on both sides, base heart-shaped, tip pointed. |
| Flowers | It is androdioecious: there are some trees which bear only male inflorescences, while others are cosexuals whereby they produce both male and female inflorescences. Stamens on both types of trees are fertile. Female inflorescences: discoidal with shallow central depression, pistils are aggregated; sessile. Male inflorescences on cosexual plants: urceolate, "fig-like" with an apical hole covered by imbricate bracts; anthers 1.6 mm in length; about 50 flowers. Staminate inflorescences on male plants: bivalvate; about 400 flowers; anther 1.2 mm in length. |
| Fruit | Fruit is a flat disk of many green bracts with 20-30 fruits, orange-red, fleshy, each fruit bears 1 seed. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Agriculture - Forestry: It is occasionally cultivated as a crop for source of latex. Others: The latex from the tree is used by Meso-american people as rubber for domestic use such as bouncing balls, waterproofing fabrics, artifacts, and tinted with natural dyes for making local handcrafts. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Fruits |
|---|
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp)) |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) (Vertebrates (Other Mammal)) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Deciduous |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Bark Colour(s) | Pale grey |
|---|---|
| Mature Bark Texture | Fibrous |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual & Bisexual Flowers(Sub-dioecious) |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden, Green |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Transitional Changes | Colour |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange, Red |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Rough |
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit |
| Seed Description | Seeds measure about 8-10 x 6-8 mm. |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1499 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2792 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |