Simaroubaceae
Quassia

Quassia amara L.

First published in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 553 (1762)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central Mexico to S. Tropical America and Guadalupe. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/150011976/150012015

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
acuasia, aguasio, contracruceta, contracruceto, cruceta, crucete, cruceto, cruceto blanco, cruceto morado, cuasia, guavito amargo, hombregrande, puesilde
[UNAL]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Simaroubaceae, Brian Stannard. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2000

Note
Has been cultivated in Tanzania (Lushoto District:Amani, plantation Sigi Juu 9, Dec. 1940, Greenway 6082!).
Diagnostic
It has a winged rachis and large red flowers.
[FTEA]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean, Pacific. Elevation range: 10–400 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bolívar, Chocó, Magdalena, Sucre.
Habit
Shrub, Small tree.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
Vernacular
Aceituno, Cedrillo, Cimarrú, Contracruceto, Creceto morado, Cruceto, Cuasia, Cuasia amarga, Guabito, Hombre grande, Machaco, Palo amarillo, Palo blanco
[UPFC]

Simaroubaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Note
A native species of tropical America is cultivated in our area.
[FWTA]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 10 - 400 m.; Llanura del Caribe, Pacífico, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Arbusto, arbolito
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Uses

Use
This is a native from tropical America and is a source of bitters and poison for flypaper.
[FTEA]

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Quassia Wood

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0