Letterhout, Letter Wood
Helicostylis tomentosa

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

Native to Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname, Helicostylis tomentosa is an evergreen tree of up to 26 m in height with a straight and cylindrical trunk of up to 50 cm in diameter. The crown is narrow and elongated. The fruit is yellow and globose, with a delicious flavor. It is usually eaten raw. Medicinally, the bark is used as a remedy for stomach cramps and pain accompanying a high fever. Bark extracts have been pharmaceutically evaluated and are reported to show depressant effects on the central nervous system. The tree yields yellow latex. The wood is moderately heavy, durable, and resistant to insect attacks. It is easy to work and ideal for general construction, lathe work, and furniture.

Helicostylis tomentosa is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 20

Where it is found

A canopy tree in rainforests at elevations from sea level to 1,600 metres.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama.

Conservation Status: Status: Lower Risk/least concern

Countries/locations it is found in

Colombia; French Guiana; Guyana; Peru; Suriname; Brazil; Bolivia, Plurinational State of, Africa, Brazil, East Africa, French Guiana, Mozambique, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Fruit - raw. A delicious flavour. The yellow, more or less globose fruit can be around 3cm in diameter.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The red, milky sap from the bark is drunk as an hallucinogen in order to contact the spirits. The rasped bark, mixed with alcohol, is used as a remedy for stomach cramps and pain accompanying a high fever. Extracts prepared from the inner bark have been pharmacologically evaluated and are reported to elicit central nervous system depressant effects; and certain of the effects are described as being similar to those expected with Cannabis sativa. Because of the close taxonomic relationship of this species to Cannabis, one might expect similar types of chemical constituents in both genera. Whether or not the effects are due to the presence of cannabinoids remains to be determined.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Hallucinogenic: Causes the mind to hallucinate.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 3

Other Uses: The tree contains a yellow latex. The heartwood is dark brown, somewhat streaked or variegated with black and yellow; it is sharply demarcated from the wide band of golden, lustrous sapwood. Lustre is medium in the heartwood; texture medium; grain straight to roey; without distinctive odour or taste. The wood is moderately heavy, with very good mechanical properties, durable and resistant to wood-eating insects. It is rated fair to good in all machining operations but does cause excessive dulling of cutting edges; takes a high natural polish. Easy to work, it is used in general construction for purposes such as scantlings, beams, door and window frames, floors etc; also for lathe work and making furniture.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

Latex: A source of rubber.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Young plants require the dappled shade of the woodland, but become more tolerant of light as they grow larger, eventually accepting full sun. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can generally be expected, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 60 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The latex of this tree is considered to be toxic when ingested.

Its other names

Local names

Letterhout, Letter Wood - Dutch (Suriname), Manletterhout - Dutch (Suriname), Amoro do mato, Jaquinha, Xopahi,

Synonyms

Greeneina affinis (Steud. ex Tr?cul) Kuntze Greeneina poeppigiana (Mart.) Kuntze Helicostylis affini