Details Top

Internal ID UUID643fdb42f2f34441958242
Scientific name Pterocarpus officinalis
Authority Jacq.
First published in Select. Stirp. Amer. Hist.: 283 (1763)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
Timber and lumber (durable heartwood); limited cultivation as an ornamental shade tree; occasional planting in riparian/wetland restoration for erosion control.

Industrial and craft applications:
Heartwood and sapwood are used for interior millwork, paneling, and fine carpentry; occasionally for tool handles and turnery. Wood is stable in service, easy to machine and finish, and takes a good polish, supporting joinery and cabinetry.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Flowers are consumed as a vegetable or added to fritters (Jamaica); no other documented non-medicinal food uses across the taxon.

Colorants and tanning:
Heartwood contains tannins and is used locally as a brown dye for textiles and for tanning hides (Jamaica). The dye is fugitive to light, suitable for non-durable coloration rather than permanent shades.

Wood and fiber:
Timber is utilized in construction and furniture making where moderate strength and good finishing are required. No documented fiber, pulp, or resin/gum production for this species is reported in standard references.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No documented use for essential oils, perfumes, or cosmetics is reported for this species.

Properties relevant to use:
Wood properties reported for Caribbean trees are a density around 0.6–0.7 g/cm³ (12% MC), moderate hardness, good dimensional stability, and low-to-moderate shrinkage (typical values of 3–5% radial and 5–7% tangential), supporting stable joinery and paneling. Heartwood coloring is naturally brown to orange-brown; durability is not consistently rated in standard references.

Standards and regulation:
Use is subject to national timber regulations and CITES listings where applicable. Local building codes and standards for wood use (e.g., grading rules, moisture control) may apply in construction and furniture applications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Widely distributed in the Caribbean and northern South America; populations in parts of the range are considered threatened, with harvest and trade historically affecting local stocks. Current sustainability depends on national forest management and trade controls; no global certification or sustainable-sourcing codes are widely documented for this taxon.

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Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Lingoum officinale (Jacq.) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl.1: 193 (1891)
Moutouchi crispata (DC.) Benth. Comm. Legum. Gen.: 30 (1837)
Moutouchi suberosa Aubl. Hist. Pl. Guiane: 748 (1775)
Pterocarpus officinalis subsp. officinalis Jacq.
Pterocarpus crispatus ex DC. Prodr.2: 418 (1825)
Pterocarpus draco L. Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 1662 (1763)
Pterocarpus suberosus Pers. Syn. Pl.2: 277 (1807)
Pterocarpus hemipterus Gaertn. Fruct. Sem. Pl.2: 351 (1791)
Pterocarpus moutouchi Lam. Tabl. Encycl.3: 161 (1823)
Pterocarpus sanguis-draconis Crantz Inst. Rei Herb.2: 77 (1766)
Moutouchi draco (L.) Benth. Comm. Legum. Gen.: 30 (1837)
Pterocarpus belizensis Standl. Trop. Woods 7: 6 (1926)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English dragonsblood tree
Arabic توز مخزني
Arabic كينو
Arabic صند هندي
French sang-dragon
French mangle-médaille
French sandragon

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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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 Northeast
    • Caribbean
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Leeward Islands
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad-Tobago
      • Windward Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panamá
    • Northern South America
      • French Guiana
      • Guyana
      • Suriname
      • Venezuela
    • Western South America
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000194876
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:214043-2
IPNI 214043-2
GBIF 5349339
USDA Plants PTOF
Tropicos 13015506
INPN 630517
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:214060-2
The Plant List ild-41502
Open Tree Of Life 850300
NCBI Taxonomy 330896
IUCN Red List 62027812
IPNI 214060-2
iNaturalist 292108
GBIF 5349333
EOL 640289
USDA GRIN 30291
Wikipedia Pterocarpus_officinalis
CMAUP NPO11452

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
Differential Species Richness and Ecological Success of Epiphytes and Hemiepiphytes of Neotropical Araceae and Cyclanthaceae Riordan EC, Gerst KL, Vargas Ramirez O, Rundel PW Plants (Basel) 28-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10708273
doi:10.3390/plants12234004
PMID:38068640
Evidence of new strains of Wolbachia symbiont colonising semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Gerroidea) in mangrove environment of the Lesser Antilles Conjard S, Meyer DF, Aprelon R, Pagès N, Gros O PLoS One 30-Aug-2022
PMCID:PMC9426913
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0273668
PMID:36040904
Botanical Drugs in Traditional Chinese Medicine With Wound Healing Properties Ning S, Zang J, Zhang B, Feng X, Qiu F Front Pharmacol 12-May-2022
PMCID:PMC9133888
doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.885484
PMID:35645789
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the threatened African endemic tree species Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir. Johnson BN, Quashie ML, Chaix G, Camus‐Kulandaivelu L, Adjonou K, Segla KN, Kokutse AD, Ouinsavi C, Bationo BA, Rabiou H, Kokou K, Vignes H Ecol Evol 27-Oct-2020
PMCID:PMC7713909
doi:10.1002/ece3.6944
PMID:33304547
The dark side of the black caiman: Shedding light on species dietary ecology and movement in Agami Pond, French Guiana Caut S, Francois V, Bacques M, Guiral D, Lemaire J, Lepoint G, Marquis O, Sturaro N PLoS One 24-Jun-2019
PMCID:PMC6590786
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217239
PMID:31233530
Molecular Characterization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in an Agroforestry System Reveals the Predominance of Funneliformis spp. Associated with Colocasia esculenta and Pterocarpus officinalis Adult Trees and Seedlings Geoffroy A, Sanguin H, Galiana A, Bâ A Front Microbiol 28-Jul-2017
PMCID:PMC5532380
doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.01426
PMID:28804479
Specificity in Legume-Rhizobia Symbioses Andrews M, Andrews ME Int J Mol Sci 26-Mar-2017
PMCID:PMC5412291
doi:10.3390/ijms18040705
PMID:28346361
Dragon’s blood secretion and its ecological significance Jura-Morawiec J, Tulik M Chemoecology 19-Mar-2016
PMCID:PMC4863904
doi:10.1007/s00049-016-0212-2
PMID:27239099
Tropical wetlands: A missing link in the global carbon cycle? Sjögersten S, Black CR, Evers S, Hoyos-Santillan J, Wright EL, Turner BL Global Biogeochem Cycles 04-Dec-2014
PMCID:PMC4461074
doi:10.1002/2014GB004844
PMID:26074666
Contemporary pollen-mediated gene immigration reflects the historical isolation of a rare, animal-pollinated shrub in a fragmented landscape Sampson JF, Byrne M, Yates CJ, Gibson N, Thavornkanlapachai R, Stankowski S, MacDonald B, Bennett I Heredity (Edinb) 25-Sep-2013
PMCID:PMC3907103
doi:10.1038/hdy.2013.89
PMID:24065181
Malaria vector species in Colombia - A review Montoya-Lerma J, Solarte YA, Giraldo-Calderón GI, Quiñones ML, Ruiz-López F, Wilkerson RC, González R Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 01-Aug-2011
PMCID:PMC4833002
doi:10.1590/s0074-02762011000900028
PMID:21881778
Genetically Depauperate in the Continent but Rich in Oceanic Islands: Cistus monspeliensis (Cistaceae) in the Canary Islands Fernández-Mazuecos M, Vargas P PLoS One 14-Feb-2011
PMCID:PMC3038934
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017172
PMID:21347265
Small effect of fragmentation on the genetic diversity of Dalbergia monticola, an endangered tree species of the eastern forest of Madagascar, detected by chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites Andrianoelina O, Favreau B, Ramamonjisoa L, Bouvet JM Ann Bot 22-Sep-2009
PMCID:PMC2766213
doi:10.1093/aob/mcp231
PMID:19773273

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
> Alkaloids and derivatives / Phthalide isoquinolines
5-([1,3]dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinolin-5-yl)-5H-furo[3,4-f][1,3]benzodioxol-7-one 5318389 Click to see C1OC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2)C=CN=C3C4C5=CC6=C(C=C5C(=O)O4)OCO6 349.30 unknown via CMAUP database
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives
Protocatechuic Acid 72 Click to see 154.12 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides
(6R,9R)-3-Oxo-Alpha-Ionol-Beta-D-Glucopyranoside 9820702 Click to see 370.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids
(-)-Camphene 440966 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
(+)-Chrysanthenone 11789373 Click to see 150.22 unknown via CMAUP database
Camphor, (-)- 444294 Click to see 152.23 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids
3-(1H-Indol-3-Yl)-2-(Trimethylazaniumyl)Propanoate 3861164 Click to see C[N+](C)(C)C(CC1=CNC2=CC=CC=C21)C(=O)[O-] 246.30 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Cyclitols and derivatives / Quinic acids and derivatives
(1R,3R,4S,5R)-3-[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxy]-1,4,5-trihydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid 91492 Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O 354.31 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,3R,4R,5R)-3-[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxy]-1,4,5-trihydroxy-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid 9476 Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O 354.31 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,3R,4R,5R)-3,4-Bis[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyloxy]-1,5-dihydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid 153946 Click to see 516.40 unknown via CMAUP database
1,5-O-Trans-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid 6474640 Click to see 516.40 unknown via CMAUP database
methyl (1S,3R,4R,5R)-3,4-bis(((E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl)oxy)-1,5-dihydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylate 10392218 Click to see 530.50 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Benzaldehydes / Hydroxybenzaldehydes
3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde 8768 Click to see 138.12 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives
Methyl Caffeate 689075 Click to see 194.18 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids
Caffeic Acid 689043 Click to see 180.16 unknown via CMAUP database
P-Coumaric Acid 637542 Click to see 164.16 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones
Eriodictyol 440735 Click to see C1C(OC2=CC(=CC(=C2C1=O)O)O)C3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O 288.25 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones
Apigenin 5280443 Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O 270.24 unknown via CMAUP database
Luteolin 5280445 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O 286.24 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides
Luteolin 7-O-glucoside 5280637 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O 448.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Tilianin 5321954 Click to see 446.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids
3'-O-Methyltricetin 11267045 Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)O)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O 316.26 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids
5,7-Dihydroxy-3',4',5'-Trimethoxyflavone 5379265 Click to see 344.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Acacetin 5280442 Click to see 284.26 unknown via CMAUP database
Diosmetin 5281612 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O 300.26 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 6-O-methylated flavonoids
5,7,3'-Trihydroxy-6,4',5'-trimethoxyflavone 5496475 Click to see 360.30 unknown via CMAUP database
5,7,4'-Trihydroxy-6,3',5'-trimethoxyflavone 14034284 Click to see 360.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Jaceidin 5464461 Click to see 360.30 unknown via CMAUP database
Nepetin 5317284 Click to see 316.26 unknown via CMAUP database

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