Flora of the Orinoco River: Trees, Shrubs, and Herbs of the Region

Trees

• Ceiba pentandra (Kapok): Up to 200 ft, fragrant white flowers.
• Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Earpod): 150 ft, dense crown, small white flowers.
• Manilkara bidentata (Balatá): 100 ft, straight trunk.
• Mora excelsa (Mora): 150 ft, dense crown.
• Swietenia macrophylla (Mahogany): 100 ft, valuable timber.

Shrubs

• Psychotria poeppigiana (Red berry): 10 ft, bright red bird-attracting berries.
• Palicourea crocea (Yellow-flowered): 10 ft, vivid yellow blooms.
• Rapanea guianensis (Black-fruited): 10 ft, black berries for birds.
• Clusia grandiflora (Wax apple): 10 ft, large white flowers, edible green fruits.
• Heliconia bihai (Lobster claw): 10 ft, large red flowers favored by hummingbirds.

Herbs

• Petiveria alliacea (Garlic weed): 5 ft, garlic-scented leaves.
• Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower): 10 ft, large purple flowers for butterflies.
• Ipomoea batatas (Sweet potato): 5 ft, edible tubers.
• Manihot esculenta (Cassava): 10 ft, edible roots.
• Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Tannia): 5 ft, edible corms.