Handroanthus serratifolius

Tabebuia serratifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Bignoniaceae
Genus:	Tabebuia
Species:	T. serratifolia
Binomial name
Tabebuia serratifolia (Vahl) Nichols.
Synonyms
Bignonia serratifolia Vahl Tecoma serratifolia (Vahl) G.Don

Tabebuia serratifolia, is a species of plant commonly known as yellow lapacho, pau d'arco , yellow poui, yellow ipe, pau d'arco amarelo, or ipê-amarelo.

Description

It is a tree native to forests throughout Central and South America. This plant grows in the Cerrado vegetation of Brazil, reaching up to French Guiana, Bolivia, Paraguay and Northern Argentina.

It is one of the largest and strongest of tropical forest trees, growing up to 150 feet (46 m) tall while the base can be 4–7 feet (1.2–2.1 m) in diameter.

Uses

It is a commercially farmed hardwood notable for its extreme hardness and resistance to fire and pests. It is sometimes traded as an "ironwood", or just as "ipê" (the entire genus Tabebuia), or as lapacho (properly Tabebuia serratifolia)

Medicinal

The bark of Tabebuia serratifolia contains more than 20 active compounds including lapachol, quercetin and other flavonoids. Its inner bark is used as an herbal tea, for treatment of fungal infections.

See also

• List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil

References

• Guide de reconnaissance des arbres de Guyane