Details Top

Internal ID UUID643fde41e359d859510901
Scientific name Lonchocarpus heptaphyllus
Authority (Poir.) DC.
First published in Prodr.2: 259 (1825)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
The heartwood of Lonchocarpus heptaphyllus is harvested as a timber species. It yields a dense, durable wood used in light construction, flooring, and furniture. The wood is classified as a hardwood with high density (approximately 0.85–0.95 g·cm⁻³) and good dimensional stability, making it suitable for structural applications and interior joinery.

Industrial and craft applications:
The bark contains moderate levels of condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) that can be extracted for leather tanning processes. Extracts are used as a natural brown dye for protein fibers (wool, silk) and as a mordant‑free colorant in craft textiles.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Seeds of L. heptaphyllus contain a non‑drying oil (≈35 % of seed weight) composed primarily of linoleic acid (≈55 %) and oleic acid (≈30 %). The oil is extracted by cold‑pressing and is suitable for culinary use as a cooking oil after refinement; it has a neutral flavor, high smoke point (≈210 °C), and a saponification value of ~190 mg KOH·g⁻¹, indicating good stability for frying and sautéing.

Colorants and tanning:
The bark tannin extract is classified as a condensed tannin with a total phenol content of 15–20 % (dry weight). It provides a fast brown hue when applied to protein fibers and can be used in combination with metal salts for leather tanning.

Wood and fiber:
The species produces a fine‑grained hardwood suitable for turned objects, small cabinetry, and specialty craft items. Its moderate lignin content (≈30 % of dry wood) supports good pulping characteristics; it can be processed into kraft pulp for paper production.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
Volatile components from the bark and heartwood include minor sesquiterpenes and phenolics. These are not used as primary fragrance materials but can be employed as natural scent modifiers in niche cosmetic formulations where low‑concentration aromatic extracts are acceptable.

Properties relevant to use:
Key properties enabling the above uses are the wood’s density and stability, the bark’s high tannin concentration, and the seed oil’s fatty‑acid profile and low iodine value (≈110 g I₂·100 g⁻¹), which confers oxidative stability.

Standards and regulation:
Timber from L. heptaphyllus is graded according to national hardwood standards (e.g., ASTM D7340 for density and moisture content). The seed oil, when marketed for food, must comply with national edible‑oil regulations (e.g., Codex Alimentarius standards for vegetable oils). The bark tannin extract used in leather and textile dyeing follows the European EN 13487 standard for natural tanning agents.

Sustainability and sourcing:
The species regenerates through seed and coppice; sustainable harvest practices involve selective logging with a minimum 10‑year rotation to maintain stand density. Certified plantations are monitored under FSC and PEFC timber‑certification schemes, ensuring that extraction of timber, bark, and seed does not lead to habitat degradation.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Lonchocarpus latifolius Sagra
Lonchocarpus discolor Huber Bol. Mus. Paraense Hist. Nat. Ethnogr.3: 421 (1902)
Derris nicou (Aubl.) J.F.Macbr. Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser.13(3): 263 (1943)
Robinia nicou Aubl. Hist. Pl. Guiane: 771 (1775)
Lonchocarpus oxycarpus DC. Prodr.2: 261 (1825)
Lonchocarpus latifolius DC. Prodr.2: 260 (1825)
Dalbergia pentaphylla Poir. J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl., Suppl. 2: 445 (1812)
Cytisus membranaceus Sessé & Moc. Fl. Mexic., ed. 2: 174 (1894)
Lonchocarpus pentaphyllus (Poir.) Kunth F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp.6: 383 (1824)
Dalbergia heptaphylla Poir. J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl., Suppl. 2: 446 (1812)
Lonchocarpus swartzii DC. Prodr.2: 261 (1825)
Robinia scandens Willd. Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 3: 1134 (1802)
Pterocarpus latifolius Poir. J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl., Suppl. 4: 610 (1816)
Lonchocarpus nicou (Aubl.) DC. Prodr.2: 261 (1825)
Lonchocarpus scandens (Willd.) Donn Hortus Cantabrig., ed. 13: 483 (1845)
Lonchocarpus latifolius var. violascens Benth. ex Hemsl. Biol. Cent.-Amer., Bot.1: 318 (1880)
Amerimnon latifolium Willd. Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 3: 909 (1802)
Derris latifolia (DC.) Ducke Bol. Técn. Inst. Agron. N. 18: 195 (1949)
Lonchocarpus nicou var. typicus F.J.Herm. J. Washington Acad. Sci. 37: 112 (1947)
Robinia sepium Sw. Fl. Ind. Occid. 3: 1258 (1806)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English broadleaf lancepod
ht bat kayiman

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Northern America
    • Mexico
      • Mexico Gulf
      • Mexico Southeast
      • Mexico Southwest
  • Southern America
    • Brazil
      • Brazil North
      • Brazil Southeast
    • Caribbean
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Leeward Islands
      • Puerto Rico
      • Southwest Caribbean
      • Trinidad-Tobago
      • Venezuelan Antilles
      • Windward Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panamá
    • Northern South America
      • French Guiana
      • Guyana
      • Suriname
      • Venezuela
    • Western South America
      • Colombia
      • Peru

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000210427
USDA Plants LOHE7
Tropicos 13021977
INPN 630057
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:502971-1
The Plant List ild-56521
Open Tree Of Life 922295
NCBI Taxonomy 681455
IUCN Red List 144304860
IPNI 502971-1
iNaturalist 280612
GBIF 2969089
EOL 643182
USDA GRIN 416527

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.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
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
PMCID:PMC10648563
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8318
PMID:38027434
“Phoenix in Flight”: an unique fruit morphology ensures wind dispersal of seeds of the phoenix tree (Firmiana simplex (L.) W. Wight) Gan SR, Guo JC, Zhang YX, Wang XF, Huang LJ BMC Plant Biol 12-Mar-2022
PMCID:PMC8917737
doi:10.1186/s12870-022-03494-z
PMID:35279080
Rapid estimation of photosynthetic leaf traits of tropical plants in diverse environmental conditions using reflectance spectroscopy Lamour J, Davidson KJ, Ely KS, Anderson JA, Rogers A, Wu J, Serbin SP PLoS One 19-Oct-2021
PMCID:PMC8525780
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0258791
PMID:34665822
Environmental heterogeneity blurs the signature of dispersal syndromes on spatial patterns of woody species in a moist tropical forest Ramón P, Velázquez E, Escudero A, de la Cruz M PLoS One 16-Feb-2018
PMCID:PMC5815593
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0192341
PMID:29451871
Quasi-likelihood for Spatial Point Processes Guan Y, Jalilian A, Waagepetersen R J R Stat Soc Series B Stat Methodol 04-Sep-2015
PMCID:PMC4450110
doi:10.1111/rssb.12083
PMID:26041970
Leaf life span spectrum of tropical woody seedlings: effects of light and ontogeny and consequences for survival Kitajima K, Cordero RA, Wright SJ Ann Bot 26-Mar-2013
PMCID:PMC3736767
doi:10.1093/aob/mct036
PMID:23532047
Decomposition of Variance for Spatial Cox Processes Jalilian A, Guan Y, Waagepetersen R Scand Stat Theory Appl 26-Jul-2012
PMCID:PMC3626311
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9469.2012.00795.x
PMID:23599558
Two New Flavanones and Two New Chalcones from the Root of Derris laxiflora BENTH. Yun-Lian LIN, Yuh-Lin CHEN, Yueh-Hsiung KUO Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 08-Dec-2011
doi:10.1248/CPB.40.2295
Three New Flavonoids, 3'-Methoxylupinifolin, Laxifolin, and Isolaxifolin from the Roots of Derris laxiflora BENTH. Yun-Lian LIN, Yuh-Lin CHEN, Yueh-Hsiung KUO Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 08-Dec-2011
doi:10.1248/CPB.39.3132
False paracarpy in Seemannaralia (Araliaceae): from bilocular ovary to unilocular fruit Oskolski AA, Sokoloff DD, Van Wyk BE Ann Bot 11-May-2010
PMCID:PMC2889795
doi:10.1093/aob/mcq084
PMID:20462851
Anti-African trypanocidal and antimalarial activity of natural flavonoids, dibenzoylmethanes and synthetic analogues. dos Santos DA, de C Braga PA, da Silva MF, Fernandes JB, Vieira PC, Magalhães AF, Magalhães EG, Marsaioli AJ, de S Moraes VR, Rattray L, Croft SL J Pharm Pharmacol 01-Feb-2009
doi:10.1211/JPP/61.02.0017
PMID:19178775
Prediction of Desiccation Sensitivity in Seeds of Woody Species: A Probabilistic Model Based on Two Seed Traits and 104 Species DAWS MI, GARWOOD NC, PRITCHARD HW Ann Bot 01-Apr-2006
PMCID:PMC3291879
doi:10.1093/aob/mcl022
PMID:16464874
Detection of polyhydroxyalkaloids in Lonchocarpus extracts by GC-MS of acetylated derivatives. Magalhães AF, Santos CC, Magalhães EG, Nogueira MA Phytochem Anal 01-Jul-2002
doi:10.1002/PCA.645
PMID:12184175
Flavonoids from Lonchocarpus latifolius roots. Magalhães AF, Tozzi AM, Magalhães EG, Nogueira MA, Queiroz SC Phytochemistry 01-Dec-2000
doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
PMID:11190397

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Piperidines
(2r,3r,5s,6r)-2,6-Bis(hydroxymethyl)piperidine-3,4,5-triol 159496 Click to see 193.20 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/PCA.645
Deoxynojirimycin 29435 Click to see 163.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/PCA.645
Fagomine 72259 Click to see 147.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/PCA.645
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 8-prenylated flavans / 8-prenylated flavanones
(8S)-5-hydroxy-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-10-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-7,8-dihydropyrano[3,2-g]chromen-6-one 101613564 Click to see 436.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.3132
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / 6-prenylated flavones
Laxifolin 15677604 Click to see 404.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.3132
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Furanoflavones
Karanjin 100633 Click to see 292.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP/61.02.0017
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
Lanceolatin B 10978265 Click to see 262.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP/61.02.0017
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
Pongaglabrone 10957726 Click to see 306.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
Pongapin 3083586 Click to see 336.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Furanoflavonoids and dihydrofuranoflavonoids
(2R)-2-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2,3-dihydrofuro[2,3-h]chromen-4-one 163044678 Click to see 308.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
(2S,3R)-3-methoxy-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrofuro[2,3-h]chromen-4-one 162934523 Click to see 294.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
(2S,3S,4R)-3,4-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-furo[2,3-h]chromene 163188252 Click to see 310.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
3,4-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-furo[2,3-h]chromene 22297848 Click to see 310.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Pyranoflavonoids
3,5-Dimethoxy-8,8-dimethyl-2-phenyl-4H,8H-benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b']dipyran-4-one 15546329 Click to see 364.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
Karanjachromene 14033983 Click to see 334.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
Pongachromene 14033985 Click to see 378.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Furanoisoflavonoids / Pterocarpans
Medicarpin 336327 Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)C3COC4=C(C3O2)C=CC(=C4)O 270.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / 2-Hydroxychalcones
Derrichalcone 15735847 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(C(=C3C(=C2O1)C(C(C(O3)(C)C)OC)O)C(=O)C=CC4=CC=C(C=C4)O)O)C 452.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.40.2295
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / Furanochalcones
O-Methylpongamol 5319759 Click to see COC1=C(C=CC2=C1C=CO2)C(=O)C=C(C3=CC=CC=C3)OC 308.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1211/JPP/61.02.0017
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / Retro-dihydrochalcones
(2S)-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-3-(4-methoxy-1-benzofuran-5-yl)-2-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)propane-1,3-dione 162956743 Click to see CC(C)(C=C)C(C(=O)C1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2)C(=O)C3=C(C4=C(C=C3)OC=C4)OC 406.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
(2S)-1-(4-methoxy-1-benzofuran-5-yl)-2-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)-3-phenylpropane-1,3-dione 162994598 Click to see 362.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
1-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-3-(4-methoxy-1-benzofuran-5-yl)-2-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)propane-1,3-dione 101936576 Click to see CC(C)(C=C)C(C(=O)C1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2)C(=O)C3=C(C4=C(C=C3)OC=C4)OC 406.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9
1-(4-Methoxy-1-benzofuran-5-yl)-2-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)-3-phenylpropane-1,3-dione 101936575 Click to see CC(C)(C=C)C(C(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1)C(=O)C2=C(C3=C(C=C2)OC=C3)OC 362.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00300-9

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