Glossy rubber tree
Hevea nitida
Family: Euphorbiaceae
What it is like
A medium sized evergreen tree. The crown is sparse. It rgwos 28 m tall.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in sparse forests on well-drained sandy soils. It can grow up to 1,000 m above sea level. It grows in 'Caatinga' dry forest where it is hot and dry. The average rainfall is 250-1,000 mm per year and the annual temperature is 24-26°C.
Countries/locations it is found in
Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, South America
How it is used for food
The seeds are cooked and eaten. Caution: The seeds contain cyanide and and are poisonous unless well cooked.
In some places the seeds are an important food and in others only a famine food.
Edible parts
Seeds
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Ay-yeca, Basokee, Caucho, Jebe debil, Lechoco, Pegajoso, Shiringa, Siringa pegahosa, Yeckake