Abelmoschus esculentus (L - the University of Maine at Fort Kent

Kermath, Bennett and Pulsipher - Food Plants in the Americs
used as a condiment, added to sauces, and used in various folk
remedies. Bark is made into tea used to treat amebic dysentery.
Seeds and leaves also are medicinal. Wood is used for charcoal
and furniture, protein-rich seeds are fed to cattle and are a
glue source, and roots are made into walking sticks. The tree is
ornamental. Known to the Greeks by the 4 th Century B.C. and
believed to have been first planted in Hawaii in 1797, T. indica
is widely cultivated throughout the tropics and is the only
species of the genus.
NATURAL RANGE: Probably Sudan, but introduced so early into India
that it is often reported as a native of India
REFERENCES: Branch and Silva 1983, Carneiro Martins 1989, Duke
1981, Duke and Vásquez 1994, Guia Rural n.d., Gunasena and Hughes
2002, IBGE 1980, Kermath (notes), Mabberley 1987, Morton 1987a,
Omawale 1973, Popenoe 1974, Schabel 2002b
Tanacetum vulgare L.
FAMILY: Asteraceae or Compositae (aster, composite, or sunflower)
ENGLISH: bitter buttons, tansy, yellow buttons
PORTUGUESE: atanásia, catinga-de-mulata, tanaceto
SPANISH: atanasia, hierba lombriguera, tanaceto
USES/NOTES: Aromatic leaves and flowers are used like cinnamon or
nutmeg to flavor other foods, or to make a bitter tea. Leaf juice
is used as a flavoring agent. Also used in drisheen, an Irish
sausage made with sheep’s blood.
NATURAL RANGE: Europe, widely naturalized
REFERENCES: Accorsi et al. n.d., Facciola 1990, Harris 1972,
Mabberley 1987, Marcin 1983, Neumann n.d., Tomikel 1986
Tapirira guianensis Aublet [syn. T. fanshawei Sandwith, T.
myriantha Triana & Planchon]
FAMILY: Anacardiaceae (cashew or poison ivy)
PORTUGUESE: maria-preta, pau-pombo, peito-de-pombo, tatapiririca
SPANISH: amargo, bajai, batea caspi, caracha copal, caobilla,
carahuasca, cedro, comiti, coquinillo, ememo, eta papero, huira
caspi, isiguillo, isigo crespo, itil cedro, jemeco, mara macho,
nemegue, ñemehue, palo de gusano, panga, papa numi, pe’su po’o,
tapaculo, umiti yura, urgia, urguia
USES/NOTES: The fruit is edible, but the leaf is poisonous.
NATURAL RANGE: Neotropics from Nicaragua to Bolivia and Paraguay
REFERENCES: Anderson and Posey 1989, Balée 1994, Barfod 1987, Duke
and Vásquez 1994, Leitão Filho 1992, MBG n.d., Muñoz 1990, Paton
et al. 2003, Silva et al. 1977, Stevens et al. 2001, Vásquez 1997
Tapirira obtusa (Benth.) J.D. Mitchell [syn. T. marchandii Engl.
T. peckoltiana Engler, Mauria obtusa Benth.]
FAMILY: Anacardiaceae (cashew or poison ivy)
PORTUGUESE: cajuí, pau-pombo, peito-de-pombo, peito-de-pombo-defolha-larga,
tatapiririca
DRAFT - DO NOT DUPLICATE OR DISTRIBUTE
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