Licaria armeniaca

Ethnobotanical Uses

Across northeastern Amazonia, indigenous peoples prepare infusions and decoctions of Licaria armeniaca to relieve fever and stomach pain. In the Guianas, Bau people make a bitter decoction of the leaves for fever and take it to ease stomachaches; they also boil the bark with salt as a throat gargle for sore throat (Adams, 1972; Plotkin & Schultes, 1990). In Colombia and Peru, locals traditionally brew a leaf tea as a diaphoretic to “break” colds and mild fevers (Schultes & Raffauf, 1990; García-Barriga, 1975). Historically in the Amazon, the bark was used as an aromatic wash for cutaneous infections and as a steam inhalation to ease congestion (Schultes & Raffauf, 1990). In Haitian ethnomedicine, the bark was taken in small doses to relieve painful menses (Adams, 1972). These preparations center on the leaves and bark; roots and fruits are seldom mentioned for medicine.

A simple leaf decoction is prepared by boiling 15–20 g of freshly chopped leaves in 1 L of water for 20–25 minutes, cooling, and straining. The liquid is taken warm as needed, typically half a cup to a cup, and not more than 2–3 cups daily for a few days. Use is traditional and contextual; avoid during pregnancy or lactation, and do not exceed brief courses of use.

The bark and leaves contain safrole and related phenylpropenes such as methyleugenol, along with α- and β- pinene, eugenol, β- caryophyllene, and linalool (Adams, 1972). These aromatic constituents account for the warming, antiseptic reputation of the plant in folk practices.

Modern relevance is limited. The species is infrequently exported, and most usage remains local; occasional artisanal distillation and small-scale studies of its essential-oil chemistry continue (Adams, 1972).

Common products:
- Essential oil: steam-distilled from heartwood/sawdust; used in perfumery as a fragrance material (component profile includes linalool and related monoterpenes).
- Timber: heartwood of mature trees used as a specialty hardwood.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Woodworking: valued for furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects; noted for attractive figure and aroma.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- No documented food or beverage uses in reliable sources.

Colorants and tanning:
- No documented use as dye, ink, or tannin in reliable references.

Wood and fiber:
- Timber: heartwood used directly as a specialty wood; no reports of bast fiber utilization.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Perfumery: essential oil used as a fragrance ingredient.

Properties relevant to use:
- Essential oil: linalool-rich composition contributes characteristic floral/rose scent suitable for perfumery.
- Wood: aromatic heartwood with favorable mechanical and aesthetic properties for specialty timber applications.

Standards and regulation:
- Timber traded under applicable national timber regulations and relevant CITES listings where applicable.
- Essential oil and fragrance use subject to relevant International Fragrance Association (IFRA) standards for ingredient safety and use levels.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Species is harvested from natural forests; conservation assessments recommend attention to supply-chain traceability to ensure long-term availability and prevent overharvesting of mature trees.

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No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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