Clusia rosea

Occurrence

Tropical America. Found from Florida, to the north of South America and the West Indies.

The tree is used as an ornamental plant in parks, gardens and as an alley tree. It may also be used for afforestation of slopes with poor soil.

Together with spines of other plants, sombreros are plaited of the leaves of clusia.

The wood is a reddish color, it is only used as a combustible.

The aromatic flowers can be used industrially in perfumery.

Medicinal uses

Besides the stem, twigs and fruit and leaves are all used in popular medicine.

The leaves are used in an infusion and is applied for pectoral diseases.

The cortex of the stem is astringent. The resin extracted from stem and fruit is applied as a purgative and to cure wounds. The resin of stem and fruit is also used to cure joint dislocations and bone fractures. The latex particularly is the healing component. The latex of Clusia rosea is used in Trinidad as a cataplasm to combat aches.

A decoction of the fruits is applied for rheumatism, The fruit (resin) is applied as a vulnerary and purgative, as is the cortex.

The oleoresin of this plant is good vulnerary apllied to burns. Mixed with liquor of cucuy (agave) the oleoresin is applied for frictions of dislocated articulations.