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Contribution
to an evaluation of tree species using the new CITES Listing Criteria
150 Amburana cearensis
Leguminosae
cerejeira, cumaré, cumarú, ishpingo,
palo trébol, roble del pais, roble salteño, umburana do cheiro.
Distribution Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru. It is not clear how or if the species is distinguished
from A. acreana,
which is mainly known from Brazil but also possibly occurs
Bolivia and Peru. At present only one species is recognised in Bolivia
(Killeen, 1997). Both species are recorded in different
literature sources in Brazil. Habitat
A tree of premontane forest with monsoon rains, seasonally
dry. It is frequent in caatinga, rarer in deciduous forest in south Brazil
and Argentina. Population Status and
Trends A prime timber species, at least, in Bolivia
and Brazil, all large trees are undergoing selective logging along with Machaerium
and mahogany (Killeen, 1997). Stands of small trees of
no commercial value survive around granitic outcrops (Killeen, 1997). Exploitation
is also of a large scale in other parts of the species range. Populations are
becoming increasingly isolated, lowering the potential
for cross-pollination (Herran, 1996). Population density is very low in Argentina
and clearance of the subAndean piedmont forest, where
the species occurs, is continuing at an alarming rate (Prado, 1996). Regeneration
appears to be poor where adequate management is not
in place (Prado, 1996). Role of species
in the Ecosystem Threats
Overexploitation for commercial use, poor regeneration, habitat
conversion for agriculture and cattle ranching (Prado, 1996). Utilisation
The timber is used in construction work, decorative veneers
and for making furniture. The seed and bark are used locally for their
medicinal properties in Argentina (Prado, 1996). Trade
A. cearensis is
reported in
exports of
sawnwood from
Peru in
1995 and
from Brazil
in 1994
(ITTO, 1997,
1995).
In 1994,
6000m³ was exported from Brazil, selling at an average
price of US$ 430.00/m³ (ITTO, 1995). Argentina is reported to have
imported wood from Bolivia through Salta. Between April 1995
and April 1996 18,240m³was imported in this way (Herran, 1996).
Sawnwood Veneer
Year Tonne
US$ FOB Tonne
US$ FOB 1993
3.205 1,351 0.874
1,732 1994 3.592
1,494 1.457 2,730
1995 3.245 1,696
1.066 2,820 Source:
IBAMA, 1996 IUCN Conservation category
EN A1acd+2cd according to the Americas
Regional Workshop for the WCMC/SSC Conservation
and sustainable
management of trees project
(WCMC, 1996).
Conservation Measures In
Brazil the species is listed as threatened by IBAMA. This allows the species protection
under both state and federal legislation. In Argentina
legislation in Salta prohibits the cutting of trees less than 50cm DBH and in
Jujuy completely bans the cutting of the species (Prado,
D.E., 1996). References
Centro de Datos para la Conservación. 1986. Lista
preliminar de
plantas especiales.
Limón, Peru: Centro de Datos para la Conservación.
19pp. Chudnoff, M. 1984.
Tropical timbers
of the
world. Forest Products Laboratory Madison, Wisconsin:
United States Department ofAgriculture. 464pp.
Halloy, Stephan. 1994. Annotations to the Argentina WCMC printout
dated 17 Jan 1994. (unpublished). 23pp. Harcourt,
C.S. and J.A. Sayer (eds.). 1996. The
conservation atlas
of tropical
forests: the
Americas. Simon & Schuster: Singapore.
Herran 1996. Personal communication to Sara Oldfield
IBAMA 1996. Fax to Nigel Varty concerning Brazilian export
information for various timber species ITTO, 1995. Elements
for the
annual review
and assessment
of the
world tropical
timber situation.
Draft Document. ITTO, 1997. Annual
review and
assessment of
the world
tropical timber
situation 1996.
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).
Killeen, T. 1997. Comments on the species summaries for Bolivia.
López, J. & Elbert L. Little. 1987. Arboles
communes del
Paraguay. Washington, DC: Peace Corps. 425pp.
Prado, Darién E. & Peter E. Gibbs. 1993. Patterns
of species distributions in the dry seasonal forests of South America. Ann.
Missouri. Bot. Gard.
80(4): 902-927.
Prado, D.E. 1996. Completed data collection forms for trees
of Argentinia and neighbouring countries. Varty, N.
and D.L. Guadagnin. 1996. Information sources on the biology, conservation and
trade of tree species in Brazil. Unpublished document
prepared for WCMC/SSC Conservation
and Sustainable
Management of
Trees project
WCMC. 1996. Report of the Second Regional Workshop, held at
CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, 18-20 November 1996. Conservation
and sustainable management of trees project.
(unpublished).