Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae (Royle) Harms

  • Authority

    Isely, Duane. 1981. Leguminosae of the United States. III. Subfamily Papilionoideae: tribes Sophoreae, Podalyrieae, Loteae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (3): 1-264.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae (Royle) Harms

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Bailey and Bailey (1941); presumptive reference of “Myroxylon toluiferum Specimens from Fairchild Garden (Coral Gables), and Subtropical Experiment Station (Homestead), Florida (AA, BH, NA). Native s Mexico to Panama (in South America?), introduced in tropics elsewhere.

  • Discussion

    M. pereirae (Royle) Klotzsch (1857). M. peruiferum auct. ?M. toluiferum auct. Myroxylon balsamum var pereirae is the source of Balsam of Peru that is used in medicine and as a substrate for perfumes. It is planted in the tropics as an ornamental, and is said to yield a fine, hard wood for cabinet work. See Standley and Steyermark (1946) for a brief history of its utilization.

  • Distribution

    Bailey and Bailey (1941); presumptive reference of “Myroxylon toluiferum Specimens from Fairchild Garden (Coral Gables), and Subtropical Experiment Station (Homestead), Florida (AA, BH, NA). Native s Mexico to Panama (in South America?), introduced in tropics elsewhere.

    Mexico North America| Panama Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America|