Agroforestry & Ethnobotany

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An elixir prepared with cumaceba, and the doctors notes.


Cumaceba trees have very hard wood.

Family: Fabaceae
Latin name: Swartzia spp.

Vernacular name
Cumaceba

Ethnobotany
The wood is strong and durable, and used for making crafts, good hard charcoal, firewood, and construction purposes. Cumaceba is mixed with aguardiente and drunk. This is supposed to give a person strength and prevent laziness, even gray hair. The bark is used in preparations to help female reproductive problems.

Agroforestry
This tree is slow growing in fields, and prefers moist, shady floodplain environments. It can grow to be quite large. Improved cultivation techniques need to be developed for cumaceba.