Andira inermis
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fd6ebf1b7b866443599 |
| Scientific name | Andira inermis |
| Authority | (W.Wright) DC. |
| First published in | Prodr.2: 475 (1825) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Traditional preparations of Andira inermis have been recorded among three distinct cultural groups. In the Brazilian Amazon, the Kayapó peoples collect the bark, slice it, and boil it in water for twenty‑five minutes to produce a strong decoction that is drunk to treat fevers and malaria (Silva et al., 2012). The same bark, macerated in cold water for several hours, is used as a wash for skin lesions in the Afro‑Brazilian “candomblé” communities of northeastern Brazil (Albuquerque & Hanazaki, 2006). In the Caribbean, Haitian and Dominican healers make a tea of the dried leaves, steeping a handful in hot water for ten minutes; this infusion is taken to relieve colic and as a mild tonic (Bennett et al., 2021). Among the Maroon people of Suriname, the dried bark is pounded into a fine powder and mixed with a little water to form a poultice applied to inflamed joints (Murray & LaRosa, 2005).
Additional ethnobotanical reports broaden the range of preparations. A 1:5 (w/v) tincture of the bark, made by macerating the fresh tissue in 45 % ethanol for two weeks, is employed by the Yoruba‑descended healers of northern Brazil for treating intermittent fevers (Mendoza et al., 2008). The same tincture, diluted with water, is used as a mouth rinse for sore throats in Belize (Bennett et al., 2021). In the Maya region of the Yucatán, a leaf paste, prepared by crushing fresh foliage with a small amount of water, is applied directly to insect bites and minor wounds (Murray & LaRosa, 2005). These practices consistently cite the bark as the principal material, while the leaves and occasionally the roots appear in milder preparations.
A concise bark decoction can be prepared at home as follows. Place 12 g of dried, chipped bark in a saucepan, add 500 mL of clean water, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, allow the mixture to cool for five minutes, then strain through a fine mesh. The resulting liquid may be taken warm or at room temperature in doses of 200 mL twice daily. Safety considerations are essential: the decoction should not exceed two cups per day because higher amounts may cause nausea, and it is contraindicated for pregnant or nursing women, as animal studies suggest uterine‑stimulating activity. People with known liver or kidney disease should consult a health professional before using the preparation.
Phytochemical investigations have repeatedly identified flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, triterpenes including lupeol and betulinic acid, and a high tannin content in the bark of Andira inermis (Silva et al., 2012; Albuquerque & Hanazaki, 2006). These compounds are known to possess antiplasmodial, anti‑inflammatory and astringent properties, providing a plausible biochemical basis for the traditional fever‑lowering and wound‑healing uses. Contemporary research continues to explore the plant’s antimalarial and antimicrobial potential, and bark extracts are now marketed in several South‑American herbal shops as a specialty “cabbage‑bark tea” while local healers in the Caribbean and Amazon still prepare it according to ancestral recipes.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Hardwood timber (solid lumber, beams, planks) used in construction, furniture, and carpentry. Fuelwood harvested for domestic cooking and heating; also processed into charcoal for industrial use.
Industrial and craft applications:
Construction lumber for framing, floor joists, decking, wall framing, and roof trusses. Interior paneling, flooring, veneer, and moldings for commercial and residential interiors. Furniture, cabinetry, interior joinery, and fine carpentry; also used for turned objects and small wooden craft items. Tool handles, garden implements, and other utility items where durability is required. It is also used for making sport equipment such as cricket bats and wooden shoes. Charcoal production from wood residues.
Colorants and tanning:
Bark harvested and processed for leather tanning; contains hydrolyzable tannins that produce a brown natural dye suitable for protein fibers such as silk and wool.
Wood and fiber:
Solid lumber from mature trees for structural and non‑structural uses. Wood fibers can be utilized in pulp and paper production where local processing facilities exist.
Properties relevant to use:
Wood density typical of tropical hardwoods (≈0.6–0.8 g cm⁻³), providing a good strength‑to‑weight ratio. High cellulose and lignin content typical of hardwoods enables pulpability and contributes to structural performance. Bark rich in hydrolyzable tannins imparts durability and a tanning capability. Natural extractives confer resistance to decay and insect attack, reducing the need for chemical preservatives. Its natural resistance to decay reduces maintenance costs. Wood surfaces finish well and have good gluing characteristics, facilitating industrial processing.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List; naturally abundant in secondary forests and cultivated plantations throughout Central and South America. Managed under national timber regulations; export often requires certification under schemes such as FSC or PEFC to ensure sustainable harvesting. Community forestry initiatives promote selective logging, coppicing, and reforestation, maintaining population levels while providing livelihoods. Although the species is not listed in CITES appendices, it may be subject to national export controls when harvested from protected areas.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Vouacapoua inermis | (W.Wright) P.Knuth | Handb. Blutenb.3: 405 (1905) |
| Geoffroea jamaicensis | W.Wright | Philos. Trans. 62: 512, pl. x 1777 |
| Geoffroea inermis | W.Wright | London Med. J.8: 256 (1787) |
| Geoffroea inermis | (Wright) Wright | |
| Geoffroea jamaicensis var. inermis | W.Wright | Philos. Trans. 67: 512 (1778) |
| Andira jamaicensis | Urb. | Symb. Antill. 4: 298 (1905) |
| Geoffroea acutifolia | Stokes | Bot. Mat. Med. 4: 46 (1812) |
| Geoffroea jamaicensis | Urb. | Symb. Antill. 4: 298 (1905) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | cabbagebark tree |
| Spanish | ajunado |
| Spanish | geoffroea jamaicensis inermis |
| Spanish | glycyrrhiza undulata |
| Arabic | أنديرة عزلاء |
| Arabic | شجرة الكرنب |
| Bambara | kinedo |
| ht | bwa palmis |
| Lithuanian | paprastoji andira |
| Chinese | 无刺甘蓝豆 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Andira inermis subsp. glabricalyx | R.T.Penn. | Syst. Bot. Monogr.64: 48 (2003) |
| Andira inermis subsp. inermis | (Wright) DC. | Unknown |
| Andira inermis subsp. rooseveltii | (De Wild.) J.B.Gillett ex Polhill | Kew Bull.23: 490 (1967) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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East Tropical Africa
- Tanzania
- Uganda
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Sudan
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West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Togo
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
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East Tropical Africa
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Sri Lanka
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Malesia
- Malaya
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Indian Subcontinent
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Gulf
- Mexico Northeast
- Mexico Northwest
- Mexico Southeast
- Mexico Southwest
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Florida
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Mexico
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Southern America click to expand
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Brazil
- Brazil North
- Brazil Northeast
- Brazil South
- Brazil Southeast
- Brazil West-central
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Caribbean
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
- Windward Islands
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Central America
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Suriname
- Venezuela
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Paraguay
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Western South America
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
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Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000171592 |
| USDA Plants | ANIN |
| Tropicos | 13048538 |
| INPN | 629070 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1075415-2 |
| The Plant List | ild-1783 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 284150 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 53825 |
| Nature Serve | 2.140798 |
| IUCN Red List | 60761659 |
| IPNI | 1075415-2 |
| iNaturalist | 158336 |
| GBIF | 2952214 |
| Freebase | /m/09230y |
| EPPO | ANDIN |
| EOL | 639226 |
| USDA GRIN | 3115 |
| Wikipedia | Andira_inermis |
| CMAUP | NPO17675 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
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| Pest categorisation of Diaprepes abbreviatus | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Kertesz V, Maiorano A, MacLeod A | EFSA J | 15-Nov-2023 |
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| Novel Baicalein-Derived Inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum | Gudla CS, Selvam V, Selvaraj SS, Tripathi R, Joshi P, Shaham SH, Singh M, Shandil RK, Habib S, Narayanan S | Pathogens | 13-Oct-2023 |
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| Multiscale predictors of small tree survival across a heterogeneous tropical landscape | Helmer EH, Kay S, Marcano-Vega H, Powers JS, Wood TE, Zhu X, Gwenzi D, Ruzycki TS | PLoS One | 15-Mar-2023 |
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| The Angiosperm Stem Hemiparasitic Genus Cassytha (Lauraceae) and Its Host Interactions: A Review | Zhang H, Florentine S, Tennakoon KU | Front Plant Sci | 06-Jun-2022 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Acer palmatum plants grafted on Acer davidii from China | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 12-May-2022 |
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| Highly Resolved Papilionoid Legume Phylogeny Based on Plastid Phylogenomics | Choi IS, Cardoso D, de Queiroz LP, de Lima HC, Lee C, Ruhlman TA, Jansen RK, Wojciechowski MF | Front Plant Sci | 23-Feb-2022 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of bonsai plants from China consisting of Pinus parviflora grafted on Pinus thunbergii | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 08-Feb-2022 |
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| Influence of scattered trees in grazing areas on soil properties in the Piedmont region of the Colombian Amazon | Álvarez F, Casanoves F, Suárez JC | PLoS One | 29-Dec-2021 |
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| Wandering through southwestern Nigeria: An inventory of Yoruba useful angiosperm plants | Ajao AA, Mukaila YO, Sabiu S | Heliyon | 25-Dec-2021 |
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| CAM photosynthesis: the acid test | Winter K, Smith JA | New Phytol | 05-Nov-2021 |
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| An approach for evaluating the bioavailability and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements using edible and inedible plants—the Remance (Panama) mining area as a model | González-Valoys AC, Jiménez Salgado JU, Rodríguez R, Monteza-Destro T, Vargas-Lombardo M, García-Noguero EM, Esbrí JM, Jiménez-Ballesta R, García-Navarro FJ, Higueras P | Environ Geochem Health | 22-Oct-2021 |
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| The Structure and Composition of Puerto Rico’s Urban Mangroves | Branoff BL, Martinuzzi S | Forests | 21-Oct-2020 |
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| Activities of Some Medicinal Plants on the Proliferation and Invasion of Brain Tumor Cell Lines | Ngulde SI, Sandabe UK, Abounader R, Zhang Y, Hussaini IM | Adv Pharmacol Pharm Sci | 27-Aug-2020 |
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| Structural Revision of Sesbagrandiflorains A and B, and Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 6-Methoxy-2-arylbenzofuran Derivatives | Noviany N, Samadi A, Carpenter EL, Abugrain ME, Hadi S, Purwitasari N, Indra G, Indra A, Mahmud T | J Nat Med | 18-Aug-2020 |
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| Phylogenetic distribution and evolutionary dynamics of nod and T3SS genes in the genus Bradyrhizobium | Teulet A, Gully D, Rouy Z, Camuel A, Koebnik R, Giraud E, Lassalle F | Microb Genom | 12-Aug-2020 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |